Some interesting art is coming out of Hà Nội.

Two teachers are selling their work to help women in need of kidney treatment.

Their work involves both oil and lacquer paintings.

Their pictures include a scene of a woman holding a conical hat and one of a man telling his daughter about her great grandfather’s war victories. The great grandfather was none other than General Võ Nguyên Giáp

By Hà Nguyễn

“Em… particularly women and girls who are unlucky or facing difficulties in life, were the main source of inspiration for our paintings,” said Nguyễn Thị Thúy Hường, who is a teacher at a primary school in Hà Nội.

Hường and her friend Trần Vũ Hoàng, who is deputy head of the Hà Nội College of Art, said although their regular jobs were at school, they were interested in fine arts, respecting beauty and values of human culture.

An exhibition entitled ‘Em…’ displaying more than 60 works by Hường and Hoàng, which is being held in Hà Nội from October 17-21, received a lot of interest from the public, including painters and art researchers.

An auction will be held at the exhibition. All money from the auction of two oil paintings entitled Em…(size 120cm by 90cm) and Ngẫm…(90cm by 90cm) will be donated to disadvantaged women undergoing hemodialysis treatment at Bạch Mai Hospital in Hà Nội on the occasion of Vietnamese Women’s Day, October 20, said Hường.

Trần Khánh Chương, chairman of the Việt Nam Fine Arts Association, said visiting the exhibition, viewers would see clearly about the contrast between oil painting and lacquer painting of these two painters. 

“The two teachers-painters have expressed their own impression and inspiration through their works. Their style of painting would effect and help increase creativeness among their students and the young generation as well,” Chương told the opening ceremony in Hà Nội on Wednesday. 

He also praised their ideas of auctioning their paintings to donate to female hemodialysis patients, saying its a very good example for other painters to follow.

Hường was born in the midland province of Vĩnh Phúc’s Hương Canh Town, which is home to a famous hundred-year old pottery village. As a child, Hường spent a lot of her time creating toys and items out of clay, like bowls, plates, pots and characters from children’s tales.

“Although I had a passion for fine arts, my mother forced me to study pedagogy. Now my main career is teaching, but I love art so much I try to spend most of my free time painting, because it helps me express my feelings and relax,” Hường said.

Beginning an art career in 2009, Hường said she invested all her confidence in her work. One of her favourite pieces is the oil painting Ba Kể Con Nghe, depicting a businessman, the paternal grandchild of Việt Nam’s late general Võ Nguyên Giáp, telling his first daughter about the historic triumph at the Điện Biên Phủ battle, commanded by her grandfather.

“The work tells the young generation to always remember the merits of our forefathers and national traditions,” said Hường, adding that she was fond of another oil work named Ngẫm. The work depicts a woman from Huế with a relaxed face, wearing elegant violet long robe and a traditional conical hat. Her hand is resting on a pile of books.

“The message I wish to convey is that women, in any circumstances, who are interested in reading books and accumulating knowledge to improve herself, are the real representation of beauty,” she said. 

Apart from these paintings, Hường has captured the beauty of both Hạ Long Bay, a world heritage site, and a female golfer. “I want to say that women, rich or poor, should choose a suitable sport to practise every day to be healthy and confident in daily life.”

But Hường said her favourite painting was Em…in which a Vietnamese girl wears a violet long robe, holding a traditional hat in her hand. Her hair is loose down her back, revealing her pretty face. She is standing on the threshold, considering how to step down.

“I want to express the message that if a woman meets a gentleman, she should consider marrying him. If she doesn’t meet such a good man, she should turn away and be confident enough to be single without trying to force an attachment with someone unsuitable,” said Hường.

Meanwhile, Hoàng, 58, developed an interest in painting as a teenager and won third prize at an art contest. He began to pursue a career in art in 1979. At his first exhibition in 1980, he sold several of his paintings, including two bought by the National Museum of Arts for display.

He later enrolled at the Hà Nội University of Fine Arts (1983-88) and later worked at the Hà Nội Art College from 1991 until now.

“My painting career really started in 1996. Myself and painter Vũ Thăng opened our own studio at home to paint large abstract landscape lacquer works under the theme of ’Oriental philosophy’, such as a collection of five basic elements (metal, wood, water, fire and earth),” Hoàng said.

By 2002, Hoàng was invited by the city of Veigne in France to display 20 of his lacquer paintings. “More than half of my works were sold at this exhibition,” he said.

Years later, he began to paint realistic works on nationality and women.

“Lacquer techniques inspired me so much. For example, beauty only appears during the process of painting with lacquer, and then I add individual elements of colour. The most important part is how to choose materials to improve the painting. The painting process only ends when the painter’s eyes are pleased,” Hoàng said.

He said he was interested in the abstract painting collection (locally known as Kim-Mộc-Thủy-Hỏa-Thổ or Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth).

He has attended many exhibitions in and outside the country including Việt Nam Modern Painting in Beijing, China (2005), Dual Game 2008 in Seoul, South Korea, Bienalle in Venice, Italy (2013), and Việt Nam-South Korea Lacquer Painting (2017). VNS

GLOSSARY

“Em… particularly women and girls who are unlucky or facing difficulties in life, were the main source of inspiration for our paintings,” said Nguyễn Thị Thúy Hường, who is a teacher at a primary school in Hà Nội.

If something is an inspiration, it fills someone with the energy to do something positive.

An exhibition entitled ‘Em…’ displaying more than 60 works by Hường and Hoàng, which is being held in Hà Nội from October 17-21, received a lot of interest from the public, including painters and art researchers.

An exhibition is a display.

Researchers are people who try to find things out.

An auction will be held at the exhibition. All money from the auction of two oil paintings entitled Em…(size 120cm by 90cm) and Ngẫm…(90cm by 90cm) will be donated to disadvantaged women undergoing hemodialysis treatment at Bạch Mai Hospital in Hà Nội on the occasion of Vietnamese Women’s Day, October 20, said Hường.

An auction is a sale at which things are sold to the person who offers the highest price.

Donated means given.

Disadvantaged means not coming from where there is any opportunity.

Hemodialysis is treatment involving the kidneys.

Trần Khánh Chương, chairman of the Việt Nam Fine Arts Association, said visiting the exhibition, viewers would see clearly about the contrast between oil painting and lacquer painting of these two painters.

The contrast between two things is the difference between them.

Lacquer is a type of natural varnish.

“Their style of painting would effect and help increase creativeness among their students and the young generation as well,” Chương told the opening ceremony in Hà Nội on Wednesday.

Creativeness means use of the imagination.

 As a child, Hường spent a lot of her time creating toys and items out of clay, like bowls, plates, pots and characters from children’s tales.

Tales are stories.

“Although I had a passion for fine arts, my mother forced me to study pedagogy.”

If you have a passion for something, you love it so much that you do not mind how much time or money you spend on it.

Pedagogy is a way of teaching. 

Beginning an art career in 2009, Hường said she invested all her confidence in her work.

When you invest in something you give it your time and resources in the hope of one day getting more out of it.

Your confidence is your belief in yourself.

One of her favourite pieces is the oil painting Ba Kể Con Nghe, depicting a businessman, the paternal grandchild of Việt Nam’s late general Võ Nguyên Giáp, telling his first daughter about the historic triumph at the Điện Biên Phủ battle, commanded by her grandfather.

Depicting means representing.

Paternal means to do with your father.

If someone is described as late, they are dead.

A triumph is a huge victory.

If her grandfather commanded a battle, he was in charge of it.

“The work tells the young generation to always remember the merits of our forefathers and national traditions,” said Hường, adding that she was fond of another oil work named Ngẫm.

Merits are things people have done well.

Forefathers are ancestors.

“The message I wish to convey is that women, in any circumstances, who are interested in reading books and accumulating knowledge to improve herself, are the real representation of beauty,” she said. 

Accumulating means gathering.

Her hair is loose down her back, revealing her pretty face.

Revealing means showing.

She is standing on the threshold, considering how to step down.

A threshold is a limit.

He later enrolled at the Hà Nội University of Fine Arts (1983-88) and later worked at the Hà Nội Art College from 1991 until now.

Enrolled means “signed up”.

“My painting career really started in 1996. Myself and painter Vũ Thăng opened our own studio at home to paint large abstract landscape lacquer works under the theme of ’Oriental philosophy’, such as a collection of five basic elements (metal, wood, water, fire and earth),” Hoàng said.

Abstract art is art that does not represent reality.

Years later, he began to paint realistic works on nationality and women.

Your nationality is your membership of a nation.

WORKSHEET

State whether the following sentences are true, or false:

1. In two years’ time, Nguyễn Thị Thúy Hường will be sixty years’ old.
2. In the painting, Em, a Vietnamese girl wears a red long robe, holding a traditional hat in her hand.
3. The oil work named Ngẫm depicts a woman from HCM City with  a relaxed face.
4. Nguyễn Thị Thúy Hường’s painting career really started twenty-two years ago.
5. The city of Veigne is in France

ANSWERS:

© Duncan Guy/Learn the News/ Viet Nam News 2018

1. True; 2. False; 3. False; 4. True; 5. False.