Shadow of the Turning

In 2006, the book River of Destiny: The Life and Work of Binh Pho was published in conjunction with an exhibition of the artist’s work at the Long Beach Museum of Art. The book was a collaboration between Binh Pho and writer/curator Kevin Wallace, juxtaposing the artist’s work with his life story, Vietnamese history and myth and an exploration of symbolism and philosophy. The exhibition received rave reviews and was enthusiastically received by museum visitors, and the book continues to make an impression upon readers, allowing them to experience Binh Pho’s work and his life’s journey.

By the time the book was published, Binh Pho and Kevin Wallace had already begun discussing another collaboration. River of Destiny had covered Pho’s childhood in Vietnam, eyewitness accounts of the Fall of Saigon, life in a Communist prison camp, his daring escape and new life in the United States of America. The two decided to move beyond biographical exploration to take a bold, visionary approach to this new project.

Shadow of the Turning, like its predecessor, focuses on art, philosophy and storytelling, yet is an entirely fictional story, blending the mythic worlds of fairy tale, fantasy, adventure and science fiction. As such, it creates a bridge between literature, art world approaches to concept and narrative, craft traditions and mixed media approaches. The story is “illustrated” using an exciting new body of work by Binh Pho, which combines woodturning, sculpture, painting and art glass.

Shadow of the Turning will be published in conjunction with a touring museum exhibition - an installation featuring Binh Pho’s bold new works of art and didactic panels that share the story and bring visitors into an exciting new world of art, myth and philosophy.