There were souls hiding along the bushes, Or ones lying under streams, or in a certain place, or the bushes, or in the shade of a tree, or in the shop, ao at the bridge, all desolates in fates

Description

This artwork by To Bich Hai, titled There were souls hiding along the bushes, Or ones lying under streams, or in a certain place, or the bushes, or in the shade of a tree, or in the shop, ao at the bridge, all desolates in fates (1995), created with pencil lead on silk paper, evokes a haunting atmosphere of isolation and wandering souls. The medium of pencil on silk imbues the work with an ethereal delicacy, as the fine lines draw out a subtle, ghostly landscape. The dimensions, 65 by 100 cm (25.6 by 39.4 inches), allow the viewer to immerse in the detailed world depicted within the piece.

The composition is dominated by a sense of solitude and quiet desolation. The title suggests that these souls, which appear subtly integrated into the landscape, are hidden among natural elements—bushes, streams, trees, or under bridges. The figures blend seamlessly into their surroundings, as if they have become part of the environment itself, their presence barely noticeable but profoundly felt.

The soft texture of the pencil strokes creates a dreamlike quality, where the figures, often indistinct and fading into the background, are implied rather than explicitly drawn. The subtle gradations of light and dark, coupled with the silk’s delicate surface, add to the fragile and fleeting nature of these “desolate” souls.

Thematically, the piece reflects a sense of displacement and abandonment, where the souls seem to be searching for shelter, hiding from the harsh realities of their fate. The use of nature as a setting—bushes, trees, and streams—adds to the organic and timeless feel of the work, as if these souls have been wandering through an endless landscape, forgotten or overlooked by the world.

To Bich Hai’s careful and meticulous technique brings depth to the work, encouraging the viewer to look closer, to see beyond the surface, and to contemplate the quiet despair and beauty of these hidden figures. The silk paper adds a layer of fragility, emphasizing the ephemeral nature of life and the thin boundary between the physical and the spiritual world.

In this way, there were souls hiding along the bushes… becomes a meditation on fate, existence, and the subtle traces left behind by those who pass through life unnoticed. The souls, like faint imprints, remind us of the transient and delicate nature of human existence, woven seamlessly into the landscape of time.

“Work on the imprint (since 1989)

Look at the wall of a building, or the stones that support churches and cathedrals. If out of curiosity, one lingers there, and takes the time to observe, one notices, from this well-squared stone, the tool marks of a worker from a bygone era.

Conscientious of his work, from a raw stone, he offers us a flat surface, a mirror ready to receive.

Over time, centuries, other passersby leave their mark, their scratches. Some whisper their secret loves to the stone, Others shout their passion and despair or, slash the stone with knife strokes to express their anger. Some people wander through arabesques,, just to leave a moment of their life there.

But beyond these traces of soul, what lies behind this face full of scratches? What is the original imprint, since the dawn of time, since the creation of its matter? Who inhabited or still inhabits it?

To capture its imprint, and try to listen and see, one can apply a veil of tissue paper on this stone, and have it embraced through rubbings, as if it were skin.

And if one manages to forget oneself, to surrender, and become the stone, it reveals gradually itself, revealing a weave.

From this weaving of signs, of traces, elaborated over millions of years, it is up to each one to guess, to seek the key, to find the thread that will lead them to the end of the mirror, to the other side of the shore, in order to embroider their own hidden world there.“