Rice Project (2023)

The “We Grow Rice” project is inspired by the friendship between individuals from two different countries: North Korea and Vietnam. Through the symbolic imagery of a common rice variety, Le Brothers and Gemini Kim collaborated to create an artistic work depicting the labor of farmers. Additionally, during their interaction and contemplation, a series of questions emerged, rooted in their shared connections related to national identity, youth, storytelling, and the artists' generations.

The project began with the friendship of Le Brothers and Gemini Kim when the artists met in 2018 in South Korea. Through their shared interactions and exploration of their roots, they recognized the similarities in the recent histories of their two countries. The artists conceived the idea of taking two rice varieties from both nations, combining them, and planting them in a field in Hue. Inspired by their commonalities, a recurring question arose: We consume rice daily and it accompanies us throughout our lives, yet we have little understanding of how it is cultivated and the struggles faced by farmers in producing it.

 After many days of labor, the three artists reaped their harvest on the 85th day. They then sought to convey their work as an artistic message through installation materials, performance, and a three-channel video.

 Through the process of nurturing and creating their product, the three artists engaged with and lived within the artwork. The “We Grow Rice” project tells the story of three individuals interacting to form an artistic piece, as well as serving as a colorful intersection of history and national identity between Vietnam and North Korea.