salvation horizon // thiên đường tung tăng

Interview with Karlie on Creativesinconvo

Jo Ngo (b. 1995, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) is a Saigon-based multi-disciplinary artist whose work spans moving images, virtual reality, augmented reality, new media art, and recently, sound art. She studied Fine Art at Lesley University College of Art and Design in Cambridge, USA. Jo’s digital landscapes transform the everyday, reflecting stories of hope, resilience, and creativity amidst Vietnam’s economic boom. Her works place human and manmade elements side by side with organic forms in a post-human world. Deeply rooted in connection and technology, her works present a healing refuge while addressing social justice and environmental concerns.

A series of works is on view at GateGate Gallery as part of the “Moon River” exhibition in Hanoi. She has held solo exhibitions at Á Space, and participated in group shows including “Tonight The Air Is Warm” at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery.


What was your primary inspiration behind this body of work, and how did it influence your creative process?

My work emerges from a desire to construct a sanctuary of surrealism, a respite from the stark realities of our world.I have been searching for a safe outlet for my mental health in creating these landscapes. This series is built with intricate, volumetric compositions, populated by a cast of characters and architectural forms. After my art residency and travels in Southern Europe—from Toulouse to Barcelona—, it opened up my visual building blocks with the outdoor culture of the region. I was really inspired by the outdoor lifestyle in summer there and also the surrealist painters like Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo who also spent certain time in this region before moving to Mexico. I was so glad to rediscover them again during my visit — and Bosch, also, for some fruitful reference.

How do you approach the use of digital art to work through Vietnamese culture in your work? Can you tell me more about “Thiên Đường Tung Tăng (Roaming in Heaven)”?

My practice straddles the intersection of digital innovation and cultural heritage. While Western aesthetics undeniably influence my work, I strive to weave in elements of Vietnamese iconography—like tượng nghê (guardian lion-dog) and tượng rồng (dragon statue)—creating a visual dialogue between East and West, seen in Thiên Đường Tung Tăng (Roaming in Heaven)

Tượng rồng (dragon) – left & Tượng nghê (lion-dog) – right are important symbolic figures in Vietnamese culture, representing protective guardians, often used in architectural and decorative contexts

The color palette draws from the earthy hues of Asian antiquities and the bold triads of traditional lacquer work. This digital medium becomes a crucible for fusing past and present, East and West, in a mesmerizing cultural alchemy. Despite my digital focus, I maintain a profound appreciation for traditional mediums and view my work as a way to connect art from different time periods.

What experience do you hope viewers will get after going to this exhibition? How do you think your art speaks to the current generation’s search for meaning and identity?

I would say the works kind of take viewers into a meditative, yet vivid realm—a digital fairyland that is far, far away. The animated elements and immersive projections elevate the experience beyond mere observation. My hope is that this work, in concert with the other works in this group show, will not only captivate but also inspire optimism about the current wave of Vietnamese artists. It speaks to our generation’s quest for meaning and identity by offering a space where reality and dreams converge, and where viewers can find both reflection and escape.

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