“…It's all over now. The noise of the fighting had died down. The wind stopped and the trees stopped…” (page 258 – The Sorrow of War – Bao Ninh)
Watercolor, grape ink, oil paint, on paper, acrylic on glass and wood.
75cm x 100cm
2016

The imagery seen in this work is solely rooted in reality, and is one that caused me a great shock, but perhaps hardly deviates from the norm of this ‘victorious’ country: at a trial (where there is no defending lawyers), a plain-clothed policeman has his hand on the defendant’s mouth, making the latter unable to speak. The way this scene has been brought into my work, though, is slightly different. The original painting portrayed the same action – one’s hand blocking the other’s mouth – except that there is no outward differences between the two men and the characters have been brought out of the courtroom setting, placed into one of nature instead. It is as if the two could sit down any moment, make friends and resolve any conflicts between them – I wish this could have been the case. Nevertheless, not happy with that complete painting, I began to cut it up into smaller pieces, like fragments of memories and history, hidden, forgotten. The pink-coloured hand joining the four frames together – in a hand-cuffed position – seem to bring about a sense of calm acceptance. 
 
My works speak of political and social issues, bitter and sad at times, but ultimately always looking towards closure and peace, real or imagined. (Ngo Dinh Bao Chau)