"Same same but different" is a popular catch phrase in Vietnam, and one in which two Australian sculptors have found inspiration.

I Love You by Glen Glarke draws on the familiar spiral motif of conical hats and silk fans.

'Difference in Repetition' is a collection of installations using bamboo, paper, and Vietnamese iconic imagery created by Glen Clarke and Gail Joy Kenning.

"Many things are repeated over and over in our lives, but each time and for each person it is different," said Clarke, a professional sculptor who graduated from the art and design programme at Melbourne's Monash University.

"In this exhibition, we are trying to show that even when things are constantly repeated, there is an evolution and change that makes them different," said Clarke. He said his works "combine facts and feelings" and for him, the best pieces capture the changes in people's daily lives.

Gail Joy Kenning studied sculpture and fine arts in the UK before moving to Australia in 1996.

Kenning uses the repeated image of conical hats and silk fans. These objects are often seen in Vietnam, and their concentric circles and repetitive folds seem to have struck a chord in her.

Speaking of her work, Kenning said "they take shape from the deepest part of my thoughts and love of life and people."

"You will see various objects, many of which are common here because I collected them during my travels."

"Every time I visit Vietnam, I get a different experience of the country and its people. For me, the country is a secret world drawing me in each time to discover it further," said Kenning, who has travelled around Vietnam and Asia extensively.

She said she hopes that through 'Difference in Repetition,' visitors to the exhibition will be able to understand the artists' message that 'changing is living.'

Last year, the two artists held an exhibition in HCM City called 'Reverb' and in 1998 they attended the 2nd International Sculpture Symposium in Hue.

The exhibition will be displayed until January 11 at Mai's Gallery, 16 Nguyen Hue Street, 9am-9pm every day.

(Source: Viet Nam News)