{"id":7784,"date":"2025-12-16T11:45:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T04:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/battrang.museum\/?post_type=journal&p=7784"},"modified":"2026-02-12T00:56:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T17:56:32","slug":"phan-linh-quiet-currents-in-a-journey-of-creative-freedom","status":"publish","type":"journal","link":"https:\/\/battrang.museum\/en\/journal\/phan-linh-quiet-currents-in-a-journey-of-creative-freedom\/","title":{"rendered":"Phan Linh: Quiet Currents in a Journey of Creative Freedom"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Phan Linh: Quiet Currents in a Journey of Creative Freedom<\/h1>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”1rem” el_class=”hide-mobile”][vc_empty_space height=”3rem”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ offset=”vc_col-md-5 vc_col-sm-offset-2″][vc_column_text]

From commercial design to independent artistic practice, from memories of the four seasons to the Spirit of the Horse collection M\u00e3 Ni\u00ean<\/i>, Phan Linh\u2019s creative world is where tradition, personal sensibility, and a sense of freedom converge.<\/strong><\/p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”4rem”][vc_column_text]\r\n

Words: H\u00e0 Tu\u1ea5n Minh<\/strong>\r\nEditor: V\u0169 Chi Lam<\/strong>\r\nPhotograph: L\u00ea Lai<\/strong><\/h5>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″ offset=”vc_col-md-offset-1 vc_col-md-2 vc_col-sm-offset-1 vc_col-xs-offset-4 vc_col-xs-4″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner offset=”vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md vc_hidden-sm”][vc_empty_space height=”2rem”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_single_image image=”7584″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”6rem”][vc_empty_space height=”6rem” el_class=”hide-mobile”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle”][vc_column width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_col-md-offset-2 vc_col-md-3 vc_col-sm-offset-2″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner offset=”vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs”][vc_empty_space height=”10rem”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text el_class=”no-indent”]

A contemporary artist with more than two decades of experience in visual arts and creative design, Phan Linh has recently unveiled M\u00e3 Ni\u00ean<\/i>, a collaborative collection with B\u00e1t Tr\u00e0ng Museum Atelier, shortly after the closing of her solo exhibition Perpetual Flows<\/i>. Together, these projects mark a series of significant milestones in her artistic journey.<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_col-md-offset-1 vc_col-md-6 vc_col-sm-offset-2 vc_col-xs-offset-1 vc_col-xs-10″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner offset=”vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md”][vc_empty_space height=”4rem”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_col-md-6 vc_col-xs-8″][vc_empty_space height=”4rem”][vc_empty_space height=”4rem” el_class=”hide-mobile”][vc_single_image image=”7798″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space height=”1rem”][vc_column_text]\r\n

Artist Phan Linh<\/h5>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″ offset=”vc_col-md-2 vc_col-sm-offset-1 vc_col-xs-offset-1 vc_col-xs-3″][vc_single_image image=”7628″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”14rem” el_class=”hide-mobile”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column offset=”vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md vc_hidden-sm”][vc_empty_space height=”8rem”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_col-sm-offset-2″][vc_column_text]

A CREATIVE CONNECTION WITH B\u00c1T TR\u00c0NG MUSEUM ATELIER<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Could you share how your collaboration with B\u00e1t Tr\u00e0ng Museum Atelier (BTMA) began?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

I have worked with V\u0169 Kh\u00e1nh T\u00f9ng, Creative Director of B\u00e1t Tr\u00e0ng Museum Atelier, since 2008. At the time, I was serving as Art Director for S\u00e0nh \u0110i\u1ec7u<\/i> magazine, while T\u00f9ng worked as a producer, overseeing fashion photo shoots for various publications. Over the years, our long-standing friendship has fostered a deep mutual understanding in how we work.<\/p>\r\n

Around 2014, I gradually began experimenting with product design, working across materials such as lacquer, ceramics, paper, and bamboo. After closely observing T\u00f9ng\u2019s journey in carrying forward B\u00e1t Tr\u00e0ng Museum and developing BTMA, we decided to collaborate on M\u00e3 Ni\u00ean<\/i>\u2014a symbolic design for 2026 that marks the transition between the old year and the new.<\/p>\r\n

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What role does ceramics play in your creative practice?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Ceramics are a sustainable material, rich in memory and deeply embedded in Vietnamese daily life. Each craft village has its own distinctive clay and glaze, shaping a strong regional identity. Through my experiments with lacquer on ceramics, I came to appreciate the material\u2019s durability and longevity. I am drawn to materials that carry such depth.<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”4rem”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″ offset=”vc_col-xs-6″][vc_single_image image=”7644″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space height=”1rem”][vc_column_text]\r\n

\u00a0Stone sculpture at Minh M\u1ea1ng Mausoleum (19th century)<\/h5>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″ offset=”vc_col-xs-6″][vc_single_image image=”7646″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space height=”1rem”][vc_column_text]\r\n
Cloud-motif ceramic base of the M\u00e3 Ni\u00ean Horse Sculpture (2025)<\/h5>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”8rem” el_class=”hide-mobile”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column offset=”vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md vc_hidden-sm”][vc_empty_space height=”6rem”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_section el_class=”.grid-collection”][vc_row equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle”][vc_column width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_col-md-4 vc_col-sm-offset-2″][vc_column_text]

THE M\u00c3 NI\u00caN COLLECTION<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

How did the concept and form of the M\u00e3 Ni\u00ean collection take shape?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

The inspiration came from Kim Ki-duk\u2019s film Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter\u2026 and Spring<\/i>, which reflects the natural cycle of time. Living in Northern Europe\u2014where winter lasts seven to eight months\u2014made me deeply miss the seasonal transitions of Hanoi. I wanted to translate that feeling into the design of the M\u00e3 Ni\u00ean<\/i> horse sculpture.<\/p>\r\n

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M\u00e3 Ni\u00ean Horse Sculpture\r\n\u2014B\u00e1t Tr\u00e0ng Museum Atelier \u00d7 Phan Linh<\/strong><\/h5>\r\n
2025 | Ceramic<\/i><\/h5>\r\n
Depicting a horse gazing into a flowing stream\u2014an evocation of time, memory, and origins. Rippling clouds on the water\u2019s surface are reflected in the horse\u2019s gaze and spirit, creating a quiet moment of harmony between earth, sky, and the natural world.<\/h5>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column offset=”vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md vc_hidden-sm”][vc_empty_space height=”2rem”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”8rem” el_class=”hide-mobile”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_col-sm-offset-2″][vc_empty_space height=”4rem”][vc_column_text]

The horse\u2019s form draws from traditional architectural motifs. I envisioned a horse pausing to drink water in an open field. The water surface is interpreted through the lines of a saddle found in stone sculptures at the Minh M\u1ea1ng Tomb (19th century), combined with cloud patterns familiar in Vietnamese art. As the horse gazes into the water, I imagine it drinking in the sky itself\u2014absorbing nature across spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The M\u00e3 Ni\u00ean<\/i> sculpture is composed of three detachable sections, allowing the glaze tones to shift according to space.<\/p>\r\n

The collection was developed with a strong focus on everyday functionality, with the horse sculpture as its centerpiece. From there, it expands into practical objects such as coffee cups, noodle bowls, vases, and coasters. In the next phase, the project continues with the development of a table lamp. All designs are derived from details of the horse\u2019s form, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens.<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”4rem”][vc_column_text]\r\n

As the horse gazes into the water, I imagine it drinking in the sky itself\u2014absorbing nature across spring, summer, autumn, and winter.<\/span><\/h2>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_col-sm-offset-2″][vc_empty_space height=”4rem”][vc_empty_space height=”4rem”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″ offset=”vc_col-xs-6″][vc_single_image image=”7844″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″ offset=”vc_col-xs-6″][vc_single_image image=”7842″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″ offset=”vc_col-xs-6″][vc_single_image image=”7818″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″ offset=”vc_col-xs-6″][vc_single_image image=”7838″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″ offset=”vc_col-xs-6″][vc_single_image image=”7836″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″ offset=”vc_col-xs-6″][vc_single_image image=”7840″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″ offset=”vc_col-xs-6″][vc_single_image image=”7832″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″ offset=”vc_col-xs-6″][vc_single_image image=”7830″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″ offset=”vc_col-xs-6″][vc_single_image image=”7834″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″ offset=”vc_col-xs-6″][vc_single_image image=”7851″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”4rem”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”5\/6″ offset=”vc_col-sm-offset-1 vc_col-xs-12″ css=”.vc_custom_1640777591152{padding-right: 2rem !important;padding-left: 2rem !important;}” el_class=”no-indent”][vc_single_image image=”7590″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”0.5rem” el_class=”hide-mobile”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_col-sm-offset-2″][vc_column_text]

The horse appears frequently in global art history, in many different forms. What draws you to this image in your work?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

The horse has been intertwined with human life since ancient times, appearing throughout history. From the horse heads of the Parthenon in Greece to contemporary interpretations such as The Kelpies<\/i> by Andy Scott, or the contemplative equine works of Nic Fiddian-Green (Still Water<\/i>), Tom Hiscocks (Drinking Horse<\/i>), and Antonio Signorini (Oiram<\/i>), the image carries many layers of meaning. Yet when returning to M\u00e3 Ni\u00ean<\/i>, crafted in B\u00e1t Tr\u00e0ng ceramics, the narrative shifts. It becomes more intimate, familiar, and distinctly Vietnamese.<\/p>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”8rem” el_class=”hide-mobile”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_col-sm-offset-2″][vc_column_text]\r\n

*<\/span><\/h1>\r\n
The collection extends into everyday functional designs, including coffee cups, noodle bowls, vases, and a set of coasters.<\/h5>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”bottom”][vc_column width=”5\/12″ offset=”vc_col-sm-offset-1″][vc_single_image image=”7670″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space height=”1rem”][vc_column_text]\r\n
M\u00e3 Ni\u00ean Horse Sculpture<\/h5>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”5\/12″][vc_single_image image=”7612″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space height=”1rem”][vc_column_text]\r\n
M\u00e3 Ni\u00ean\u00a0Horse-Tail Vase<\/h5>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”bottom”][vc_column width=”5\/12″ offset=”vc_col-sm-offset-1″][vc_single_image image=”7806″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space height=”1rem”][vc_column_text]\r\n
M\u00e3 Ni\u00ean Espresso & Cappuccino Cup, Noodle Bowl<\/h5>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”5\/12″][vc_single_image image=”7808″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space height=”1rem”][vc_column_text]\r\n
M\u00e3 Ni\u00ean Espresso & Cappuccino Cup, Noodle Bowl<\/h5>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”2rem” el_class=”hide-mobile”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_col-sm-offset-2″][vc_column_text]

ENERGY AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Has your workload in Norway changed compared to before?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Previously\u2014especially toward the end of the year\u2014the workload was intense and often left me feeling exhausted. At one point, I realized I needed to slow down. After stepping away from my work in window display, I spent months walking in forests, foraging, and simply being in nature. Nearly an entire year was devoted to rest and renewal.<\/p>\r\n

How do you maintain creative energy today?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Norway\u2019s climate makes gardening challenging, but I still tend a small garden each summer. Otherwise, I devote most of my time to art\u2014that is how I best recharge.<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”4rem”][vc_single_image image=”7622″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space height=”2rem”][vc_single_image image=”7624″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column offset=”vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md vc_hidden-sm”][vc_empty_space height=”6rem” el_class=”hide-mobile”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”8rem” el_class=”hide-mobile”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”bottom”][vc_column width=”5\/12″ offset=”vc_col-sm-offset-1″][vc_single_image image=”7668″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”5\/12″][vc_single_image image=”7580″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”2rem”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_col-sm-offset-2″][vc_column_text]

After more than 20 years in the creative field, what led you to move from commercial design to independent artistic practice?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Design and artistic creation are fundamentally different. Design responds to external needs, while artistic practice is a process of turning inward, expressing personal emotion and experience. That said, the two complement each other. Years of design work gave me a strong technical foundation. When I moved into independent practice, I realized that anchoring my work in traditional values was the most natural path forward.<\/p>\r\n

Traditional craftsmanship and the preservation of craft villages over time are central to my practice. For me, sustainability is not only about reusing materials, but about safeguarding and carrying forward cultural values so they can continue to exist in contemporary life. Craftspeople and farmers working in endangered traditions\u2014such as L\u00e3nh M\u1ef9 A silk or d\u00f3 paper from Y\u00ean Th\u00e1i\u2014constantly remind me of the urgency to protect this heritage. Observing similar concerns in countries like Norway and France, I see that this is not a personal interest, but a shared global movement.<\/p>\r\n

What did your recent solo exhibition Perpetual Flows represent for you?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Perpetual Flows<\/i> marked the beginning of a new chapter. The works interweave graphic design and classical photography. I am drawn to the way tradition and modernity can merge to form a new visual language. The exhibition opened doors to future projects.<\/p>\r\n

What do you hope to pursue next?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

I am continuing to explore painting and materials within product design. I am also developing an idea for a large-scale installation using discarded materials, in collaboration with craft villages such as B\u00e1t Tr\u00e0ng (ceramics), Ng\u0169 X\u00e3 (bronze), and H\u1ea1 Th\u00e1i (lacquer).<\/p>\r\n

Ultimately, I seek freedom\u2014the freedom to work openly and honestly, and to do what I truly want in art.<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”2rem”][vc_column_text]\r\n \r\n\r\nThank you for sharing!<\/strong>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”4rem”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″ offset=”vc_col-sm-offset-4″][vc_column_text]\r\n

Hanoi, December 2025\r\nAn exclusive interview\u00a0 for B\u00e1t Tr\u00e0ng Museum Journal<\/strong><\/p>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”4rem” el_class=”hide-mobile”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_col-sm-offset-2″][vc_separator][vc_empty_space height=”4rem” el_class=”hide-mobile”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_col-sm-offset-2″][vc_column_text el_class=”no-indent”]\r\n

About B\u00e1t Tr\u00e0ng Museum Atelier (BTMA)\r\n<\/strong>BTMA is the nearly 50-year-old ceramic atelier of B\u00e1t Tr\u00e0ng Museum, run by members of the founding family as a way to continue the legacy of the late People\u2019s Artisan\u00a0V\u0169 Th\u1eafng. The atelier researches and refines elements of traditional Vietnamese ceramics\u2014forms, glazes, and motifs\u2014and reinterprets them through contemporary design.\u00a0Alongside preserving the works that shaped the founder\u2019s legacy, BTMA collaborates with artists across disciplines to develop new collections grounded in heritage and shaped by the creative spirit of the present.<\/h5>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/3″ offset=”vc_col-sm-offset-2″][vc_column_text el_class=”no-indent”]\r\n
About the Artist \u2014 Phan Linh\r\n<\/strong>With nearly two decades of experience in visual arts and creative design, Phan Linh has worked as Art Director for leading magazines and spent over nine years collaborating with Herm\u00e8s as a Window Display Artist. Her work balances modern graphic sensibilities with traditional Vietnamese craft, creating dialogues between past and present.\u00a0Since moving to Norway, she has focused on studio practice, exploring themes of memory, place, and material.<\/h5>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text el_class=”no-indent”]\r\n
Perpetual Flows \/ D\u00f2ng Ch\u1ea3y V\u0129nh C\u1eedu (2025)\r\n<\/strong>The first solo exhibition in Vietnam by artist Linh Phan, Perpetual Flows reflects on the quiet continuity of memory and the feminine spirit \u2014 how they move, shift, and resurface across time and distance. Through collage, illustration, and layered abstraction, Linh Phan bridges fine arts, graphics, photography, and crafts to form a language that is both delicate and resilient. The exhibition traces her journey from Hanoi to Norway, from traditional craftsmanship to contemporary expression \u2014 a constant flow of transformation and return.<\/span><\/h5>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”6rem”][vc_empty_space height=”6rem” el_class=”hide-mobile”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
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B\u00e1t Tr\u00e0ng Museum Atelier participates in \u201cT\u1eeb \u0111\u00f4i tay \u0111\u1ebfn t\u1ea1o t\u00e1c \u2014 Crafting in Progress\u201d<\/h4>\n \n\t
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