“the map is not the territory” with Xem Saigon Tour at Vin Gallery

“This show will explore the dynamic interaction between XEM’s artworks, innovative installation concepts, and viewer engagement, creating a lively and evolving environment. Be part of it to experience the energy and creativity that XEM brings to the forefront of contemporary photography, as they continue to redefine the medium’s role in both archival truth and fictional creation.” Text by Vin Gallery

Visual artist Quang Lam explores the relationship between maps and territory. It is encapsulated in the famous expression “the map is not the territory,” coined by Polish-American philosopher Alfred Korzybski. This phrase highlights a common semantic confusion where the ‘signifier’ (the sign or word) is mistaken for the ‘signified’ (the concept or meaning it represents). In other words, it emphasizes that our understanding of the world, conveyed through language and concepts, is merely an interpretation and not the actual experience of the world :

Quang Lam will present paintings featuring printed 16th-century maps of Vietnam and Asia. These maps were created by Alexander de Rhodes in 1561 in the Western style and by Matteo Ricci in 1602 in the Chinese style. The map of “Annam,” depicting “Cocincina” (left) and “Tunkin” (right), is the first map of its kind to represent Vietnam. On the opposite wall, maps of the stars are displayed, some depicting an undetermined age, some marked with very precise dates.

Quang Lam continues to study the concept of The Meta Zen Garden by adding vertical walls around it, giving it a more 3D aspect, always using recycled materials. Maps also feature prominently in his well-known arcade games, where the city of Ho Chi Minh City is depicted as sinking like the Titanic.

These artworks play with “iconic” images and objects to warn us about a non-hypothetical future of our territory