In the Pure Land

“The impurity that we see is the result of impure awareness, and also the Buddha's compassion in creating a world within which impure things can grow. Thus the real way to attain a pure land is to purify one's own mind. Put another way, we are already in the pure land if we but knew it. Whatever the realm, if it is inhabited by people with enlightened pure minds, then it is a pure land”.

Paul Williams, Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations

"The highly conceptual exhibition subtly tells stories of everyday Vietnamese life and culture. He initially orientated himself towards the urban landscape in order to gain an insight into society, like the ‘Community Notice Boards’, which continue to exist as remnants of a more analogue life and provide a deep insight into social contexts, but have also lost much of their relevance when unused and thus become historical relics.

In order to describe social life as a silent observer, Ryan makes deliberate and targeted use of colour schemes and constellations, which are given an iconographic charge by their corresponding contexts, sometimes more obvious, sometimes more hidden. Beginning with the grey of the overcast sky, which he deals with in a technical way and actively incorporates into his photography as an 18% grey tone. This grey, a constant companion in the streets of Hanoi, particularly enlivens the other colours through its contrast. Through ever-recurring colour compositions that give even the quietest still lifes a depth rich in meaning and refer to the omnipresent co-existence of communism and Buddhism.

Thus, the exhibition invites us not only to deal with the obviously depicted stories, but also to delve further into Eddie Ryan's conceptualisation in order to experience his profound sketch of a distant land."

Felipe Dietrich, March 2025