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| Sculptor Hoàng Tường Minh. Photo tienphong.vn |
Sculptor Hoàng Tường Minh, whose work helps shape the evolving landscape of Vietnamese contemporary sculpture, is among the artists creating and displaying pieces at the Flamingo Contemporary Art Museum in the northern province of Phú Thọ to celebrate the museum’s 10th anniversary. Minh spoke to the media about his sculpture Không Giới Hạn (No Limit) on this occasion, reflecting on the craft, challenges and freedoms that define his practice.
Could you introduce your artwork at the exhibition?
Không Giới Hạn is made from steel and stainless steel symbolising the barriers and limitations that humans constantly encounter.
Through this work, I want to speak about the act of removing and cutting both visible and invisible boundaries so that we can move toward freedom in life and in artistic creation as well.
I chose to work with the materials because they reinforce each other. Steel carries a sense of heaviness, density and confinement while stainless steel is bright, reflective and conveys a chilling sense of threat.
When combined, they create a dynamic tension between constraint and the desire to break. And for me, it is what art seeks to achieve.
What is the biggest challenge you encounter while creating the work?
The biggest challenge is keeping a sense of movement within such a heavy material.
Working on the welds and the connections between black steel and stainless steel ensuring technical requirement while also creating strong contrasts in light require calculation and patience.
I see this process as a kind of dialogue between the artist and the material where technique itself becomes an extension of the concept.
In your opinion, is art truly limitless or do invisible boundaries still exist?
Art itself has no limit but we as human beings do. Không Giới Hạn is not a declaration, it is a journey, constant dialogue, friction and the effort to overcome our own boundaries.
Age has never made me feel restricted. It helps me see things with greater depth and calmness. When we are young, we break limits with energy, as we get older, we surpass them with understanding. What matters most is to never lose the desire to create.
How does your professional experience differ from when you first started the career?
When I was young I almost worked with passion and intuition and I was eager trying everything and pushing every material limit. Over time, I realise that what truly matters is not just what we can do but what we leave behind.
At the age of 60, I have the calmness to accept the gaps and silences within the creative process. I no longer feel the need to prove anything instead, I want to explore more deeply the essence of form and emotion.
The biggest difference is that rather than conquering, I’ve learned to dialogue with both the material and time.
What’s the most valuable thing art has brought to you?
Art has given me a meaningful life. It keeps me aware, teaches me to listen and encourages me to ask questions. Through art, I have learned to face myself, my limitations, my hurts, and my deepest aspirations.
More importantly, art helps me preserve the human capacity for emotion in a world full of constant change. To me it is the most precious gift that no other profession could ever offer.
How do you define freedom in art and how important is it for a sculptor?
Freedom is not about doing whatever you want. It is about having the courage to be honest with your own emotions and thoughts. In sculpture, freedom often lies within the very constraints of the material finding a way for steel, stone or wood to express what you truly feel.
Without inner freedom, a work remains merely a form. But when you are truly free, you can create beauty even within limitations. I believe that is the foundation for art to endure.
You are among artists to display at the 10th anniversary of Flamingo Contemporary Art Museum establishment. How do you feel?
I am deeply moved. It is not just an exhibition, it is a journey that has connected artists over the past decade. Each time I return, I can clearly see the growth of the space, the audience and artists.
Being part of the 10th-anniversary edition is a great joy, like looking back at a piece of history that I have helped shape.
I believe that the museum truly provides an environment for contemporary sculpture where artworks are not only displayed but also live in harmony with the space, nature and the audience.
It helps connect artists with the community, encourages long-term creative projects and creates a genuine artistic ecosystem. For me, this is essential for Vietnamese sculpture to continue developing and gaining broader recognition not only domestically but also internationally. VNS
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