A new solo exhibition at 10 Chancery Lane Gallery in Central offers a comprehensive look at the work of Vietnamese-American artist Dinh Q. Le, who passed away in 2024. Titled "Remembrance," the show, curated by writer David Elliott, not only honors Le’s artistic legacy but also underscores his enduring engagement with the legacy of the Vietnam War.

Le’s work is widely recognized for its signature technique of weaving photographs, a method that layers historical images to generate complex visual narratives. Many pieces on display are derived from iconic wartime photographs, reconfigured to explore memory, trauma, and history. One prominent example is Le’s 2013 “Untitled 1,” which reinterprets the 1972 "Napalm Girl" photograph of a young girl fleeing a napalm attack in Trang Bang, South Vietnam. Elliott compares this work to Edvard Munch’s “The Scream,” highlighting its emotional intensity and haunting impact.

The exhibition also includes Le’s “The Two Widows” (2024), which juxtaposes portraits of Jacqueline Kennedy and Tran Le Xuan (commonly known as Madame Nhu), figures connected to opposing sides of the Vietnam conflict. The woven portraits incorporate images of armed Vietnamese women and hooded prisoners, combining vibrant colors with darker wartime imagery to evoke both memory and ambiguity.

In addition to these woven photographs, the exhibition features select video installations that reflect on themes of power, decay, and cyclical history—concepts that Elliott associates with Buddhist notions of impermanence. These pieces suggest Le’s meditation on the passage of time and the broader implications of war beyond immediate events.

Le’s personal history as an immigrant in Southern California profoundly shaped his perspective. Elliott notes Le’s growing skepticism toward capitalism and his critical view of American society, particularly its approach to freedom of expression and the Vietnam War itself. Despite difficulties discussing the war openly within his community, Le maintained a strong sense of responsibility to engage with Vietnamese history, often highlighting the contrast between the war’s brutal realities and its sanitization through American pop culture and tourism.

“Remembrance” extends beyond a memorial tribute, particularly amid current geopolitical tensions and renewed American military involvements. Le’s work serves as a pointed commentary on the enduring human costs of conflict and the complex interplay between history, memory, and representation.

The exhibition runs through May 16 and is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.