Keywords: the great puddle by nguyen huy an text The Great Puddle 2009 Chinese ink and plywood The deep black abyss of Chinese ink and its hypnotic scent immediately conjure notions of a literary history rich in tradition and culture. In The Great Puddle however, this rich and illustrious history is interrogated and the ink's reflective surface reveals as much as it obscures. Its opaque darkness also hints at hidden secrets lurking beyond the dark corners of the pool. The artwork is a commentary on the lingering scent of power and corruption, as metaphorically represented by the form of a bureaucrat's writing table. While the ink attempts to conceal the 'shadow' of dirty dealings, its reflective surface ironically reflects reality and becomes, in and of itself, a permanent black shadow in which all forgotten events resurface. www.singaporebiennale.org/artist_nguyen_huy_an.html The Great Puddle 2009 Chinese ink and plywood The deep black abyss of Chinese ink and its hypnotic scent immediately conjure notions of a literary history rich in tradition and culture. In The Great Puddle however, this rich and illustrious history is interrogated and the ink's reflective surface reveals as much as it obscures. Its opaque darkness also hints at hidden secrets lurking beyond the dark corners of the pool. The artwork is a commentary on the lingering scent of power and corruption, as metaphorically represented by the form of a bureaucrat's writing table. While the ink attempts to conceal the 'shadow' of dirty dealings, its reflective surface ironically reflects reality and becomes, in and of itself, a permanent black shadow in which all forgotten events resurface. www.singaporebiennale.org/artist_nguyen_huy_an.html |