Bui Cong Khanh is a Vietnamese artist who has internationally exhibited his diverse collection of works. Included in his oeuvre are works such as performance art, paintings, drawings, porcelain, wood work, installation and video. A topic that is commonly explored in his art is the civil conflict that his home country has been afflicted with for many years.
With the motif of the porcelain vase, Bui Cong Khan utilises the standard porcelain style of painting intertwined with red coil and machinery. When explaining his work, Khanh identifies the red imagery as a visual metaphor. “I call it the colonial cloud, for the culture,” Khanh explained.
During the Vietnam War, Vietnam was separated into the North and South. The influence of Chinese culture was substantial in shaping the cultural practices of the nation, particularly with the North. Bui Cong Khanh’s subversion of traditional styles and customs is an artfully executed political commentary that highlights the effects of the colonialism on Vietnam’s cultural landscape. This work is a reflection of Khanh’s views on the homogenisation of Chinese and Vietnamese practices, expressing concern over the loss of his own country’s cultural integrity.
faith monsod, 2025. 