A solo exhibition
What’s left behind the Rectum? - Chapter 2: The Great Excretion
Artist: Tèo Phạm | Duration: 09/07/2023 - 13/08/2023
Preface
Drawing inspiration from the philosophical writings of Martin Heidegger and Friedrich Nietzsche, the vibrant works of Tèo Phạm (1996) leave a strong impression on viewers with the concept of "excretion". In his practice, he deliberately does not interfere much in terms of content and techniques, while calling his creative process a spiritual excrement - a grand excrement, implying a periodicity in what the mind and the spirit absorb and subsequently generate, the cycle of cause and effect.
Perceiving oneself as a product shaped by the excretion of the surrounding objects, Tèo Phạm primarily recycles everyday items like newspapers, cardboard, or carton covers, gleaning the “waste” and (re-)structuring them in a sustainable way. Challenging himself with the readily available materials, Tèo gives discarded objects a new life, in appreciation of the unnoticed and the overlooked. The big world is made up of little things, and Tèo - while inspired by profound philosophical ideas - reflects on the utmost personal, humble questions about his relationship with both objects and human beings. “Why are more and more things created to be thrown away, fading into non-existence? Can we give them a different life, a different meaning?”
Originally a satirical cartoonist, Tèo Phạm can play with any subject in a lighthearted way. The sacred is thus juxtaposed with the mundane; references to ancient beliefs are intertwined with wit and creativity; and the somewhat challenging lines blend with an appreciation of the unnoticed.
Viewing his artworks as a way to record his emotions, Tèo Phạm aims to resist the cycle of consumption, be it in the realm of creativity or in a modern life saturated with information. As one unconsciously “digests” not only more but also faster, the appreciation of art risks staying on the surface. In an effort to distance himself from these vortexes, Tèo chooses to slow down, to perceive his spirit and the spirit of all things more clearly.
