Flowers at Night and Day by Nhat-Vu Dang

Artist list

Nhat-Vu Dang

Before anything else, it is about playing with our perception.

In these brooches soothingly coloured forms with gentle contours are contrasted with clear-cut, black shapes. Yet, you only see optical illusions. Nhat-Vu Dang wanted to add some adventure to his work, so he projected each of his compositions on a strongly incised surface. In this way the designs became fragmented and can only be seen from a specific viewpoint. Actually, the image is just as interesting from all other angles: when it is falling apart, enhanced by the reflections on the facing surfaces.
 
Dang took a traditional motive as his point of departure: the representation of nature, more specifically of flowers. Where in the past artists tried to imitate real flowers as diligently as possible, this time the source of inspiration is hardly recognizable anymore. That is because the artist choose a rather unusual approach: the effects caused by daylight. Flowers react to the light, some only open during the daytime and close at dusk, others turn on their stems to face the sun. In these pieces similar things happen: The image can vanish almost completely, or move around to face the viewer. As it concerns jewellery that is being worn, the last point seems to be stating the obvious, but Dang's pieces can literally revolve on their base.

It is not necessary to be aware of all this information, for these brooches are as alluring as the models the were based upon. It will be hard to resist wearing them, just like you tend to put a flower in the buttonhole of your lapel.
 
Ward Schrijver
(© Galerie Rob Koudijs)