Trần Lương: Tầm Tã - Soaked in the Long Rain
01 Nov 2025 - 08 Feb 2026
Tầm Tã – Soaked in the Long Rain is the first international survey exhibition of Vietnamese contemporary artist Trần Lương.
Spanning painting, installation, performance, community engagement and institution-making, the exhibition delves into the life of an artist who, over the last thirty years, has played a significant role in supporting critical contemporary art in Vietnam—a context with little public infrastructure for artmaking and display, and continued limits on artistic expression.
From his early career as a painter in the 1980s, the exhibition traces Trần’s shift towards performance and conceptual art, following the opening up of Vietnam’s economy to global trade, as well as his subsequent efforts to work collaboratively with communities. Throughout, Trần has worked actively to build spaces for experimentation, education and sharing, and to enhance exchange between Vietnam and the wider Southeast Asian region.
Tầm Tã – Soaked in the long rain is the first significant presentation of Trần’s work in Aotearoa. The exhibition offers insight into the artist’s multifaceted life and practice; shaped by political and social transitions in Vietnam, and the many roles he continues to play—as activist, curator, facilitator, archivist and mentor.
Tầm Tã – Soaked in the Long Rain is curated by Biljana Ciric and co-organised by Art Jameel, the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre and The Art Gallery of Western Australia.
Trần Lương, Steam Rice Man, 2001, photo documentation of durational performance, Mạo Khê coal mine factory, Quảng Ninh, Vietnam. Courtesy of the artist.
In focus: Learning and unlearning spaces
with Biljana Ciric and Trần Lương
Artspace Aotearoa, Tāmaki Makaurau
25–26 October 2025
Prior to the exhibition’s opening in Ngāmotu, emerging artists, curators, and cultural practitioners are invited to apply for a two-day workshop with Biljana Ciric and Trần Lương to be held at Artspace Aotearoa, in Tāmaki Makaurau, exploring perspectives in curatorial practice, exhibition making, and community organising.
Visit artspace.org.nz for full details on the workshops and how to apply.
Delivered in partnership with Artspace Aotearoa and Te Wai Ngutu Kākā.
Trần Lương, ERUTUF/HISTORY, 2018, photo documentation of performance, Lublin & Baiystok (Poland), and Berlin.
Opening Weekend
Curator's Tour with Biljana Ciric
11 am | Saturday 1 November
Join curator Biljana Ciric for an intimate tour through the exhibition.
Ciric will share insights into Lương’s early career as a painter among the Gang of Five, his role in introducing performance art to Vietnam, and his foundational work in establishing initiatives and supporting generations of artists in a context with continued limits on artistic expression. As well, Ciric will share insights into her curatorial approach to the exhibition, reflecting on her own relationship with the artist, and the years-long process of building the exhibition and its accompanying publication.
Offsite Performance: Trần Lương,“A Consignment Journey” / Flowing
12 pm–4 pm | Saturday 1 November
Pukekura Park, near the Band Rotunda
10 am–2 pm | Sunday 2 November
Ngāmotu Beach
Over the opening weekend of his exhibition Tầm Tã – Soaked in the long rain, we invite you to participate in a durational performance alongside Vietnamese artist Trần Lương.
This performance furthers the artist’s interest in engaging with different communities and contexts through acts of unconditional trust. Over two days, the artist will be present at different locations in Ngāmotu with his head covered, simply waiting for an encounter to happen. Passersby are invited to guide the artist in any direction they wish.
Published alongside the exhibition, Tầm Tã –– Soaked in the Long Rain is the first comprehensive publication exploring Trần Lương’s practice.
Commissioned texts by curators, educators, artists, and scholars unpack the myriad roles Trần embodies: artist, curator, facilitator, mediator, activist, archivist, mentor. The publication includes, for the first time, an extensive archive of his curatorial work and community-focused projects over more than 30 years of practice.
Conceived by Biljana Ciric; Contributions by Iola Lenzi, Phoebe Scott, Lê Thuận Uyên, Vu Duc Toan, Linh Lê, and Biljana Ciric.
Exhibition partners:
