Shadow of the Turning:
The Art of Binh Pho
October 25, 2013 – January 04, 2014
About Shadow of the Turning: The Art of Binh Pho
In 2006, the book River of Destiny: The Life and Work of Binh Pho was published in conjunction with an exhibition of the artist’s work at the Long Beach Museum of Art. A collaboration between artist Binh Pho and writer/curator Kevin Wallace, the book juxtaposed the artist’s work with his life story, Vietnamese history and myth and an exploration of symbolism and philosophy.
By the time the book was published, the two had already begun discussing another collaboration. River of Destiny had covered Pho’s childhood in Vietnam, eyewitness accounts of the Fall of Saigon, life in a Communist prison camp, his daring escape and new life in the United States of America. They decided to move beyond biographical exploration to take a bold, visionary approach to the new project.
Shadow of the Turning, like its predecessor, focuses on art, philosophy and storytelling, yet is an entirely fictional story, blending the mythic worlds of fairy tale, fantasy, romance and adventure. It creates a bridge between literature, art world approaches to concept and narrative and craft traditions. The story is “illustrated” using an exciting new body of work by Binh Pho, which combines woodturning, sculpture, painting and art glass. As the storyline explores collaboration, a diverse group of international artists were brought together to collaborate on works of art that celebrate traditional craft materials and processes to redefine the boundaries of contemporary art.
Visit the Shadow of the Turning website.