Painter reveals poetic side

Philosophical: Painter and sculptor Van Thuyet releases his poetry collection Tiec Tran Gian (Party on Earth), which is influenced by Charles Baudelaire and Arthur Rimbaud. — VNS Photo Doan Tung

HA NOI — Veteran painter and sculptor Van Thuyet has wowed art lovers with his latest production, but it's not the usual art work he's noted for.

Thuyet has launched a publication of his bilingual Vietnamese-English poetry collection entitled Tiec Tran Gian (Party on Earth).

The collection features 54 poems which reveal his life philosophy as well as the ambitions and desires of the human race.

Works by the world's great writers, including Mikhail Lermontov, Alexander Puskin, Honre de Balzac, Alexandre Dumas and Victor Hugo, were his childhood "friends" and nurtured his writing skill.

Although Thuyet wrote his first poems when he was at secondary school, his writing skill flourished when he pursued his studies at the Teachers' Training University and then the Ha Noi University of Industrial Fine Arts during the 1970s and 80s. His life experience as he matured gave him the inspiration for about 200 poems.

"During that period, Viet Nam faced very hard times as it fought the war with the Americans and then struggled to recover from the loss and damage," Thuyet said. "I was mature enough to understand the value of life. I could have the same feeling as others and I could find a common thought with others as I witnessed their loss and pain."

Unlike most other poets of his generation who wrote revolutionary and patriotic poetry, Thuyet's verses expressed another spirit. Fascinated by the illuminating poetry of Charles Baudelaire and Arthur Rimbaud, he brought the style into his verses, creating his own poetic philosophy.

The book also presents more than 120 photos of Thuyet's paintings and sculptures. — VNS