Virtual painting exhibition raises funds to build houses for the poor

September 06, 2020 - 18:42
An exhibition showcasing paintings by 101 leading Vietnamese artists is being held to raise funds to build houses for the poor in the central province of Quảng Nam.
Chân Dung Thiếu Nữ (Portrait of A Teenage Girl), a wax on canvas painting created by late artist Lưu Công Nhân (1929-2007). Photo courtesy of the organiser

HCM CITY  — An exhibition showcasing paintings by 101 leading Vietnamese artists is being held to raise funds to build houses for the poor in the central province of Quảng Nam.

The exhibition “Xuôi Dòng Sông Thu” (Downstream of the Thu Bồn River) is curated by arts researchers Ngô Kim Khôi and Lý Đợi, and artist Ngô Trần Vũ.

The showcase includes 164 paintings in different materials such as oil, acrylic, pencil and wax crayon, and in surrealist, abstract, semi-abstract and impressionistic styles.

The paintings feature a wide range of topics, including the beauty of the country, lifestyles, portraits and still life.

A highlighted work is Chân Dung Thiếu Nữ (Portrait of a Teenage Girl), a wax on canvas, created in 1972 by late artist Lưu Công Nhân (1929-2007), one of Việt Nam’s most famous contemporary artists,.

Nhân was a student of famous artist Tô Ngọc Vân (1906-1954), one of Việt Nam’s most influential painters in the first half of the 20th century.

After graduating from the Viêt Nam Fine Arts College in 1953, Nhân travelled the country, capturing major historical events on canvas, particularly during the two French and American wars.

His two acclaimed oil paintings, Cày Ruộng (Ploughing) in 1960 and Buổi Sáng Sương Mù Trên Đỉnh Ba Vì (A Misty Morning on Ba Vi Mountain) in 1963, are in the permanent collection of the Việt Nam Fine Arts Museum in Hà Nội.

Tĩnh Vật (Still Life), an acrylic on canvas painting by Lê Tường. Photo courtesy of the organiser

The exhibition also displays works by famous contemporary artists such as Trăng Khuyết (Crescent Moon) by Mường Mán, Mekong by Lê Triều Điển, and Tĩnh Vật (Still Life) by Lê Tường.

Around 50 - 100 per cent of the profit from painting sales will go to the Gieo Nhà Gặt Nhà Fund run by artist Vũ and his partners to build houses for the poor in the central region.

“Through the Xuôi Dòng Sông Thu exhibition, we hope to raise VNĐ700 million (US$30,000) to build 14 houses,” Vũ said.

The exhibition can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/ngotranvublog until September 30. — VNS

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