We started our tour in the entrance hall, where there were two sculptures, one on each side of the staircase.
Facing the stairs, on our left was the figure of a young man and on the left, that of a young woman.
The sculptor had carved them from blocks of plastic foam and we had the opportunity of examining a small piece.
The artist had then used hundreds of photographs of the model and then applied them to the sculpture like papier mache to create a photographic replica. A most amazing new concept of creating art and very attractive to look at. The figures were dressed in very modern clothes and looked as though they could have stepped from their pedestals.
We then moved into the atrium where there were two exhibites hanging from the ceiling. These items were powered by a motor and moved at intervals. When closed one looked like a flower and when it opened out, it looked like layers of an umbrella. The second item was cigar shaped and also opened up in unison with the first.
We were able to examine a small piece of the mechano type piece of polished steel.
It was an extraordinary collaberation of the artist's vision, skilled engineers and computer programmers.
The next exhibit was on the second floor and displayed a number of globes, which had tiny spy holes and maps of various countries could be seen. There were dozens of items hanging from the ceiling - cycles, rickshaws, motors, chairs and many other items.
From here we moved into the cinema and watched a film of young men racing rickshaws underwater. They had no breathing apparatus and had to regularly surface to take in air. they had to work very hard to move over the uneven sea bed and indicated the struggles of populations surviving against extreme odds. A very profound dispolay and an indication of the trauma caused to displaced peoples.
We learned that rickshaws were no longer allowed to be manufactured and those that remained and were maintained, were not allowed on the highways. A considerable change to a country's culture.
Ann gave us very interesting descriptions of the exhibits as we moved around and the gallery staff gave us a brief account of the artists and their origins which were Vietnamese and and Korean.
The tour ended with tea and biscuits very kindly dispensed by the volunteers who always work so hard to get us to the museums and galleries.
Names of artists:
Gwon Osang is Korean and created the statues in the entrance hall.
Choe U-ran is Korean and created the precision engineering pieces in the atium
Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba is a Vietnamese born artist
