I am the constellation of my own (DTL211111)

CUC Gallery, Hanoi, Vietnam is thrilled to present I am the constellation of my own by Vietnamese artist Tulip Duong(b. 1959,Vietnam). I am the constellation of my own is an installation of sculptures made out of natural quartz and used gearboxes.

Akin to an organism, each sculpture consists of two parts: the lower part is a used gearbox. Its shape, form and color is kept intact; the upper part is a natural quartz. Quartz is a stone of harmony and is helpful in improving relationships. Thus, it contributes to forming connections that are indeed our constellations. The young quartz used in I am the constellation of my own enhances spiritual growth, awareness, wisdom and revitalization, which we as human being need in the context of this current pandemic.

The gearbox is the transmission, an intermediary to increase or decrease the speed of an engine. All of the gearboxes were used and discarded during the most exciting time for the smokestack industry of Vietnam.

These two unique opposite singulars carrying their own histories and strengths were combined to form a hybrid species. While gearboxes are only a few decades old and created by human hands, quartz crystals are the product of Mother Nature that can take thousands of years to formulate. Though these two objects can never seem to go together nor have any kind of relationship, Tulip makes it possible. The artist puts nature (quartz crystals) on top of the product by human(gearbox) to stress the ultimate power of nature over us. This has been proven by how small and vulnerable human beings are when reacting to the on-going impacts of global climate change and the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The 9 hybrid species formed a star map that simulates the Big Dipper, an asterism in the constellation Ursa Major. These star patterns are not random; they express how we choose to align in joining the dots.