Nguyen Thi Hoai Tho

(Vietnam)

How to use this

artist folio
This artist folio contains information about the featured artists in the Singapore Biennale
2013, their artworks as well as artistic processes, to let visitors have a better
understanding and appreciation of the artworks displayed.
Questions and activities found at the back of the folio are meant for visitors to have a
deeper engagement with the artworks. The questions can be used for discussions when
looking at the featured artwork, while the suggested activities are for educators or parents
to conduct with students or children for further exploration beyond the visit.
The suggested reading and viewing lists also provide more information about the artists
practice, artwork themes and related ideas or issues, which helps educators and readers
make connections and relate them to their daily life.

CONTENTS OVERVIEW
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Introduction to Singapore Biennale 2013

Artwork image
About the artwork
Artistic process
About the artist
Discussion time
Suggested activities
Glossary
Further reading
Further viewing
Annex: about Singapore Biennale 2013

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Singapore Biennale 2013

If the World Changed
The Southeast Asian region has historically been the corridor of the major civilisations, as
well as a place of cultural interactions. Within this fluid region, many individuals and
populations inhabit different societies, from agrarian communities, coastal settlements, to
urban metropolises.
21st century Asia, and particularly Southeast Asia, is an increasingly active participant in
current global movements. These global happenings and changes have brought up
localised responses to issues of land, water, borders, resources, memory and identity,
among others. However, the experiences of change have also been uneven and varied
across the region. Against this backdrop of past and continuous change, a multiplicity of
responses has emerged from Southeast Asia, including large-scale activism, invitations for
open dialogue and personal philosophical meditations, all of which can be seen in the
Singapore Biennale 2013 (SB 2013).
The theme of SB 2013, If the World Changed, is an invitation to reconsider the world we
live in, and the worlds we want to live in.

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The artwork

The Loofah Trellis

Nguyen Thi Hoai Tho
2011
Composite plastic
Dimensions variable
Collection of the Artist

*Note: This artwork contains mature content. Viewer discretion is advised.

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About the artwork

A tall trellis supports a system of vines adorned with green leaves growing from its
branches. However, this plant seems to produce an unusual fruit, one that is fleshy and
resembles part of the human body. The shapes on the plant appear as sinuous breasts that
stretch from the shrub, as if they were ready to be harvested. Nguyen Thi Hoai Tho
developed this installation in response to the objectification experienced by women in
Vietnam. It is a protest particularly against the discriminatory attitudes held against aging
women, as they no longer satisfy the male gaze.
Nguyens Singapore Biennale 2013 installation, The Loofah Trellis, is a reaction to the
derogatory mindset of the patriarchal society in which she lives. Loofah is a street slang
term used in Vietnam to refer to the breasts of lactating mothers or women past middle
age. As the greater male population no longer find this body part of aging women
attractive, it is considered something to be mocked. Therefore, the artist has chosen to
counteract this belief and draw attention to the natural aspects of the human body and
the aging process through her work.
The artist addresses SB 2013 theme, If the World Changed by wondering what might be
needed in order for women to be treated differently. She writes, The society where we
are living now might go through many changes over time, however, I believe its sense of
beauty remains the same, which is still too shallow. Nguyen acknowledges that while
technology and other advancements are present in her society, it is the attitudes about
women and their bodies that remain archaic and unchanged.

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Artistic process
Vietnamese artist Nguyen Thi Hoai Tho uses her work to surface a topic that may be
considered taboo. Not only is the appearance of a human breast somewhat surprising in
the context of a growing garden, the image of aging breasts may also be jarring upon first
sight. Nguyen aims to change this perception of the human body by boldly highlighting
this subject in her work.
Nguyen hopes to demystify the female body through her installation, The Loofah Trellis.
By presenting aging breasts upon a garden trellis, the artist stresses the natural aspect of
womens bodies. Just as a fruit that grows beneath the sun, breasts are a natural part of
life, and aging is an organic process. In order to emphasise the reality of this process, she
has added details to her sculpture. Nguyen incorporates elongated stretch marks and
sagging shapes to make her work genuinely true to life.
The artist also uses her work as a platform to emphasise non-physical beauty. She
encourages others to consider their own definition of beauty, and describes her view to
be, Beauty, in my opinion, does not necessarily depend on how women look like over
time but what they scarified for. Its important for us to look at that beauty under
different eyes. Therefore, what others may consider flaws Nguyen views as a badge of
honour and a beautiful sign of courage.

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About the artist

Nguyen Thi Hoai Tho is an installation artist based in Hanoi, Vietnam. She has created a
diverse body of work focusing on social issues in her community. She uses her work to
promote the cause of marginalised people, and is particularly interested in the
advancement of women in Vietnam.
The artist attended the Hanoi University of Industrial Fine Arts, and later applied her
knowledge of design to her profession as an executive manager of the design company,
Tan Hoang Nam Art. In 2009, Nguyen founded the arts organisation, CHAAP, a collective
for young experimental artists in Hanoi. She continues to work as a consultant for the
group, coordinating exhibitions for members of the collective. Nguyen herself
participated in the exhibition, Phap Phong, held at the Goethe institute in Hanoi,
Vietnam in 2011.

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Discussion time

Observe The Loofah Trellis from afar. What do you see? What does the installation look
like to you?

Now, step closer and take a look at the details of the installation. What have you
discovered? What is it about the installation that surprises you?

Look closely at each fruit. Do you see lines carved into them? How do you think
these lines make the fruit look? Why do you think the artist added these lines?

What was your first reaction to The Loofah Trellis? After learning the contextual
information about the work, do you view it differently? Describe your secondary
reactions to this work.

The artist writes about the misgivings of men in her society, The society where we
are living now might go through many changes over time, however, I believe its sense
of beauty remains the same, which is still too shallow. Do you think this statement
also applies to your own community? Explain why you think so.

How do you think your reactions to this work might be different if the form and shape
of the fruits were depicted in another manner? Why do you say so?

Representations of aging bodies, such as those in The Loofah Trellis, are often
considered taboo. Why do you think images such as these are so uncommon or
unacceptable in society today?

How do you think the artists experience as a woman has shaped the work she has
made? How might her installation be different if she were a man?

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Suggested activities

The artist articulates her definition of beauty, Beauty, in my opinion, does not
necessarily depend on how women look like over time but what they scarified for. Its
important for us to look at that beauty under different eyes. What is your own
definition of beauty? Using one or two paragraphs, summarise your own description
and definition of what beauty is. Share your definitions as a class and discuss how
each description might overlap in meaning. How similar and different were
everyones definitions?

What is your vision of ideal beauty? What characteristics make a person beautiful?
Create a sculpture that embodies your own definition of beauty in a physical,
psychological and/or in a social sense. Use shapes, size, colours and materials to
represent your ideal vision of beauty in a symbolic or representational manner.

Observe the painting series, Untitled, by the Laotian artist Marisa Darasavath in SB
2013. How is female beauty represented similarly or differently in her work compared
to Nguyen Thi Hoai Thos The Loofah Trellis?

How is the female body represented in popular culture today? Gather two examples
from magazines or advertorials. How do you feel about these representations of the
human body? Do these representations express your own perceptions of the female
figure? How well do they represent yourself (if you are female), or other women that
you know?

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No part of this folio may be reproduced without prior permission from the Singapore Art Museum.
All information correct at time of print.

Glossary
trellis
a framework of light wooden or metal bars used as a support for fruit trees or
creepers, typically fasten against a wall
adorned
decorated or made more beautiful and attractive
harvested
gathered or collected crops as a harvest
objectification
to treat someone as an object rather than a person
discriminatory
making or showing an unfair or prejudicial distinction between different categories of
people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age or sex
male gaze
a concept of men watching a lady as an object of analysis; a point of view from the
watchful eye of a man
derogatory
showing a critical or disrespectful attitude
patriarchal
relating to patriarchy, a family, group or government controlled by a man or group of
men
taboo
not socially acceptable to talk about or to do
demystify
make (a difficult subject) clearer and easier to understand
scarified
to distress deeply as with severe criticism; lacerate

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Further reading
Article on Nguyens participation in the exhibition Phap Phong, held at the GoetheInstitute in Hanoi in 2011
http://www.thanhniennews.com/2010/pages/20111125-hanoi-artist-to-exhibitwomens-conflicting-status.aspx
Essay questioning the female perspective in the history of Vietnamese modern art
Why Hasnt Feminist Art Been Formed in Vietnam by Bui Thi Thanh Mai
http://www.academia.edu/1527105/Why_Hasnt_Feminist_Art_Been_Formed_in_Vietnam
Book examining Vietnamese contemporary film and literature through a feminist lens
Treacherous Subjects: Gender, Culture and Trans-Vietnamese Feminism by Lan P. Duong

Further viewing
Talk by Eve Ensler, playwright of the Vagina Monologues, on her relationship with her own
body
Eve Ensler: Suddenly, my body
http://www.ted.com/talks/eve_ensler.html
Conversation about women objectified through the media
Women objectified through the media
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/up/47054006#47054006
Video on plus-sized fatshionistas using the web to reclaim their autonomy and show off
their wardrobe
'Fatshion' blogs defiantly celebrate plus-size couture
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16259070

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No part of this folio may be reproduced without prior permission from the Singapore Art Museum.
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Annex: The Singapore Biennale

About the Singapore Biennale
The Singapore Biennale was established in 2006 as the countrys pre-eminent platform
for international dialogue in contemporary art. It places Singapores artists within a global
context, and fosters collaborations with the international arts community. The Biennale
provides new opportunities for local visual artists, arts organisations and businesses,
cultivating deeper public engagement with the arts and enhancing Singapores
international profile as a vibrant city in which to live, work and play. The 2006 and 2008
editions of the Biennale were organised by the National Arts Council. As with the 2011
edition, Singapore Biennale 2013 is organised by the Singapore Art Museum of the
National Heritage Board, and supported by the National Arts Council.
About the Singapore Art Museum
The Singapore Art Museum (SAM) advocates and presents contemporary art practices of
Singapore, Southeast Asian and the Asian region. Since 2009, SAM has focused its
programming and collections around contemporary Southeast Asian art and art practices,
and has built up one of the most important collections of contemporary art from the
region. Through strategic alliances with arts and cultural institutions and community
organisations, SAM facilitates visual arts education, exchange, research and development
within the region and internationally. SAM is also organiser of the Singapore Biennale
2013 and the past edition in 2011.
About the National Arts Council, Singapore
NAC was set up to spearhead the development of the arts in Singapore while advancing
the countrys aspiration to be a distinctive global city for the arts. NACs mission is to
nurture the arts and make Singapores rich and diverse culture an integral part of peoples
lives. Anchored on the twin strategies of excellence and engagement in the arts, NAC aims
to build a vibrant arts sector by creating a conducive environment where the arts is
accessible to all, and artistic talents have the necessary resources and capabilities to excel
and achieve long-term sustainability.

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No part of this folio may be reproduced without prior permission from the Singapore Art Museum.
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