Hung Duong
01.
Stemming from a personal attempt to “see through” and understand the diverse forms and expressions of contemporary art in Southeast Asia, SEA-through is a platform where I gather thoughts, organize travel notes, and share my writings on the ever-growing and increasingly interconnected visual art scenes of the region.
As someone who is betrothed to this region, I myself am also a learner. Through my writing, I hope to expand my vision, gain more knowledge, and connect with friends who share my passions.
Bangkok: Dib Bangkok
Dib Bangkok courtyard, January 2026. Photo: W Workspace. “Extending this trajectory of institutional growth is none other than Dib Bangkok—a lifelong dream
Chiang Mai: Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook
ARAYA RASDJARMREARNSOOK, Has Girl Lost Her Memory? , 1994/2025, corn husks, bed frame, dimensions variable. Courtesy the artist. “A quiet
Chiang Rai: Chitti Kasemkitvatana
View of “Chitti Kasemkitvatana: The Beauty of Time,” 2025. Photo: Wanchai Phutthawarin. “In “The Beauty of Time,” through a gathering of
Phnom Penh: Khvay Samnang
View of “Khvay Samnang: Forest Myth,” 2025. From left: Kapok Wood 1, 2025; Kapok Wood 2, 2025; Kapok Wood 3, 2025. “With the animal
Saigon: Nguyễn Thúy Hằng
Installation view of In Absence, Presence. Image courtesy of Nguyen Art Foundation. “Out of Hằng’s breadth of artistic conveyances emerges an
Bangkok: Som Supaparinya
Som Supaparinya, MO NUM EN TS, 2025, film still. Courtesy: the artist and Jim Thompson Art Center, Bangkok “At first glance,
03.
Core writing elements
The four pillars which ground my art writing are:
Material/Medium; Form; Concept;and Inspiration.
Each pillar will guide you into different yet interlaced aspects of contemporary art in Southeast Asia.
Material/Medium
Material/Medium refers both to the actual materials, and the socio-historical allegories and eco-political tensions embedded in them.
Form
Form pays tribute to the struggle to visualize and manifest creative thoughts through an array of expressions.
Concept
Concept embodies the perfect work inside our head: how its abstract existence propels artmakers to pursue innovation in their daily practices.
Inspiration
Inspiration alludes to effervescent thoughts, fleeting encounters, life-changing experiences, or just random miscellanies of a quotidian nature.
