Moon in Reflection

The art of Kim Hoa Tram

 

11 April - 21 September 2008
Asian Art Temporary Exhibition Space, Level 1
Admission free

If we speak of `what is real [has tangible form]?
Even a speck of dust or a grain of sand is real.
Yet, there is nothing that is real.
Everything is illusory,
Like the moon reflected in water
Neither real nor unreal is the infinite void [Universe].
(A Zen poem)

Kim Hoa Tram (Shen Jinhe in Chinese) was born in Saigon, Vietnam in
1959 to a family originally from Fujian province in China. Kim migrated to
Australia in 1984 and is now living in Melbourne. For more than ten years,
Kim has immersed himself in Zen (Chan in Chinese) Buddhism. In his
art, he draws inspiration from his spirituality in Zen and from his roots in
the Chinese tradition, its art and culture, especially Chinese ink painting
and calligraphy.

Kim’s paintings and calligraphies are evocative of an aesthetic
and spiritual experience. Moon in Reflection is a journey to spiritual
enlightenment and artistic discovery. Kim has explored the human
condition of birth, old age, sickness and death, the various themes in
Zen philosophy: impermanence, delusion and meditation as a way to
spiritual awakening (wu in Chinese and satori in Japanese).

Moon in Reflection gathers together works by this artist from the NGV’s
permanent Asian collection and is held during the World Olympics in Beijing, China 2008.

Moon in Reflection: The art of Kim Hoa Tram
Full colour dvd, 35mins
A three part dvd accompanies the exhibition. Featuring the philosophy and practise of the artist, and a curatorial perspective, the dvd is now available for sale from NGV Shop.