Bangkok, 9 February, 2021 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is pleased to announce that the ‘The Dance in Between’ exhibition by Japanese artist Hiroko Hongyok will open as scheduled from 11 February to 14 March 2021 in room 248 on the second floor of River City Bangkok.
‘The Dance in Between’ is billed as a celebration of the in-between state that is often overlooked in the human experience. While moments in the ‘grey area’ could be uncomfortable for the mind, the exhibition is an invitation for viewers to interact with the ambiguity of ‘neither black nor white’, in a playful, yet thought-provoking manner.
It defines ‘in between’ as the intersection of the negative and positive space in the middle of two things, described as like walking into a desert without a compass, surrounded by nothing but sand, where individuals might find themselves feeling lost, uncertain, insecure.
Growing up familiar with the teachings of Zen, Hiroko’s art is inspired by the Japanese aesthetic ideal of ‘Ma’ (間), which is defined as ‘the space between objects, the silence between sounds, the stillness between actions’. Hiroko represents ‘Ma’ (間) through abstract forms that play deliberately with the boundaries of dichotomies; hovering in between expansion and contraction, revealing, and concealing, inside and outside, movement and stillness.
Soon after graduating from the Victorian College of the Fine Arts in Melbourne, Hiroko was chosen for a group exhibition showcasing the emerging talents of that year.
However, due to the unforeseen circumstances brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is still uncertain when she will be allowed to return to Australia. In the meantime, she set up a small studio in Bangkok, where she continues to make large scale paintings that explore the contemplative potential of abstract forms. It is fitting, that her first solo exhibition with River City Bangkok, “The Dance in Between” is both a consequence and an ode to these uncertain times.
River City Bangkok is operating as per usual with strict COVID-19 prevention measures in place, with the number of visitors allowed into see the exhibition limited to a maximum of 10 at any one time. The Dance in Between can be experienced from Monday to Friday from 11.00 – 20.00 Hrs. and on Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays from 11.00 – 20.00 Hrs.
