Vietnam Artist Truong Dinh Hao

Graduated from Ha Noi Fine Arts College (In-Service Training)

Hao: "After graduating at the top of my class from the Fine Art College of Ha Noi 1973-1978, I was sent to a remote mountain to develop the color scheme of the uniforms for traditional theatre group. For 9 years I could not sell a single painting because my style was not convincing enough for the local.

In 1990 I was allowed to return to Ha Noi. Twelve years since graduation I was able to host my first exhibition.

Because I was not a member of the Fine Art Association of Vietnam I did not have the privileges nor money to buy painting papers. Therefore I found a new way to express my feeling: I went to the market to collect old newspapers. Each page from the newspaper gave me the inspiration to create. Overtimes the special paper, together with various images, re-energized my creative power. I painted my thoughts, the lives in rural villages around me and my perspective of the world. It was very difficult to deliver my work to Vietnamese collectors. Some even laughed at me: “10 Hao is only 1 dong (dong is the smallest Vietnamese currency)”I did not want to give up, spent nights and days on my work because I know that in my desperate situation, to stop drawing, to stop working would eventually lead to the demise of my body and my soul. It is fair to say that the times I spent on my work strengthen my steps in life.

I believed that sooner or later people would understand me, love my work ...”

Hao is an artist who has never lost the courage to take control of his fate, and who was always the master of his creative power.

In 1998 Hao made it into the list of the Leading Artist during the Reform period.

Nguyen Van Hai – Traditional Lacquer Painting

Apart from a relatively small circle of connoisseurs the genre of lacquer paintings is not well known outside Vietnam. Lacquer is a particular type of paint, and is used both raw and after various degrees of processing. Although the artist applies the lacquer paint with a brush, the essence of the lacquer painting depends upon the artist`s skill in rubbing or burnishing the lacquer to reveal the image beneath. Lacquer is a difficult and time-consuming medium and to turn out a single painting may require years of work. Simply to prepare the board takes from one to one and a half months. The successful lacquer artist must not only be skilled in drawing but also have a high level of technical skill in lacquer processing. Thus considerable skill and experience is needed to produce a painting that conveys a sense of spontaneity, live-line working  and movement.

• Article: Lacquer Artists of Vietnam by Kerry Nguyen Long

Famous Vietnamese Woodblock Artists

Vietnamese Woodblock Art or Folk Art is thought to have originated in the Ho Village, north of Hanoi, Vietnam. Originated as part of the celebration of the Lunar New Year Festiva, the villagers drew, engraved on wood and printed colorful pictures onto homemade paper to display, sell and give to others. Scenes represented good luck, dreams come true or told simple tales. The art was popular among village residents and brightened the walls of their homes.

This simple art from the Ho village is a model that was later used by other Vietnamese artists. Guided by old masters and encouraged by the government, these hand-printed pictures are again a popular form. The peasant prints are one of the only sources of popular pictorial art in Vietnam. Some classic pictures show image of prosperity, others reflect all aspects of the people's daily life and optimism. The prints make use of simple primary colors that are bright and lively. Although rarely seen in the West, recently there is increased interest by collectors in these unique and charming works.

Some of the famous Vietnamese woodblock artists: 

Woodblock, Old Street (by artist Pham Van Don

>>> Pham Van Don (1917 - 2000)

Pham Van Don, born in Hanoi, specialized in wood carving and wood prints. His theme was Vietnamese traditional belief and live styles. He was a graduate from the Fine Arts College of Vietnam in Hanoi and later became a lecturer at the Hanoi Institute of Fine Arts. His works also covered lacquer paintings. His wife was a sculptor, Nguyen Ghi Kim. They held exhibition together in country and abroad. Some of his famous works are: A H'mong Family Going to the Market (1992) - above, Uncle Ho Visiting the Village (1972, Woodblock print, private collector) - below.

Woodblock art, Uncle Ho Visiting the Village (1972), by artist: Pham Van Don

_______________________________________________________________

Woodblock art by artist: Nguyen Tien Chung

>>> Nguyen Tien Chung 1914-1976

Nguyen Tien Chung, born in Hanoi, specialized in lacquer, silk and wood cutting. He used rural subjects and daily lives of Vietnamese as themes. He graduated from the Fine Arts College of Vietnam in Hanoi(1936-1941). He later worked at the Fine Arts Museum of Vietnam as a lecturer from 1955-1964

Vietnam Artist Do Xuan Doan

Do Xuan Doan travels around Vietnam to observe the scene and to watch people collecting flowers.
Do Xuan Doan’s inspiration in painting comes from his heart and soul and with his unique style of choosing the colors for his painting such as shining lavender, blazing red sunrise & deep rich yellow.
Even at age 70 years, he continues to paint and creates beautiful pieces of art for himself, for art lovers and for life.
In his “Flower fields” series show us the suburb area outside Ha Noi, north of Vietnam.
“Flower fields” offers freshness, happiness and peaceful feelings.
In his “Water pond” artwork show us the suburb area outside Ha Noi, north of Vietnam.
“Water pond” offers peaceful feelings and let us peek into the daily life of Vietnamese villagers.
The collector’s corner:
Designed to feel more like a contemporary Vietnamese residence, PARK HYATT SAIGON’s attention to detail extend to a range of specially commissioned Vietnamese works of art that are displayed throughout the hotel.

“Lunar New Year Festival” from the Vietnamese painter Do Xuan Doan is one of the most impressive pieces in the hotel which is hanging in the lobby, an area perfectly suited for welcoming  guests to a Vietnamese home and festivities.
Critique:
Between simple & talent
During last 50 years, there was unusually any Vietnamese Artist living by their own job as Do Xuan Doan. He has always been doing his job hardly, happily and peacefully. It seems that he does not regards to fame, money or position, he just pay attention to his job. Although hard life, he is still open-hearted as well as modest so that his friends and colleagues always hold him in high esteem.
Since childhood, DXD has been owning a highly polished techniques and a certain graphic depict.
However, the home village landscapes with romantic penmanship are always enduring desires of Artist.
With soft styles, bright color, simple inspiration and light jacking bringing peaceful feeling with a little bit silent secret.
Nguyen Quan / Art Critique

Vietnam Artist Dang Xuan Hoa

Vietnamese art history will record Dang Xuan Hoa as one of its most important artists of the late 20th century. Not simply because of his extraordinary talent but equally as important because f his leadership and openness to change. Hoa’s paintings show both his undeniable roots in Vietnam as his exposure to and absorption of the art from many other countries and periods. In Hoa’s style one can see the influence of artists from Nguyen Tu Nghiem and Nguyen Sang to Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock yet he always remains uniquely himself. In spite of his early success Hoa has continued to take risks in his work and seems never satisfied with just staying in the same place. As must as I like his earlier paintings I always look forward to seeing the next one .

C. David Thomas

Painter

Dang Xuan Hoa is a world-wide respected contemporary Vietnamese artist. He is one of the “Gang of Five” who are known to have changed the direction of art in the early 1990’s in Vietnam which coincided with the destruction of the subsidized economy. This is known as Doi Moi or “The Renovation”, which began the free market economy. As Phan Can Thuong explains in his book on Dang Xuan Hoa, “This event emancipated the spirit of painting, casting off simplistic art to a common expression -abstractionist orientation combined with traditional humanistic ideas. Hoa’s paintings are a process of spiritual development in which love and respect of life serve as a way to better understand himself”.Dang Xuan Hoa expresses emotions through figures and shapes as his compositions appear to be perfect in themselves. His harmony of colors has instant appeal with subtle aesthetics. Common subjects include his wife, daughter and granddaughter and depict a harmonious and loving familial atmosphere

"The flower painting: only when the spring comes & the lunar new year comes each year, this kind of special flowers bloom & being enjoyed & appreciated by the people in the Northern provinces. It is for the happiness, healthy & luck for the whole new year, with green rich leaves & branches and red flowers but pure simple touching each Vietnamese soul.The self portraits: it is the thoughts & look about our lives & society that we are living in. It is also the most truthful vision of ourselves, each person's feelings which differs from one to another.  This is also a respect to one's ego, each individual, each society & nature."

Dang Xuan Hoa