A lacquer painting by Nguyễn Thành Chương. VNS Photos Nguyễn Bình

HÀ NỘI Việt Nam Fine Arts Museum has opened a new exhibition entitled 'Contemporary Art Gallery', putting on display 65 more Vietnamese paintings and sculptures. 

The works were created by Vietnamese artists from 1986 to the present, to introduce modern fine arts with dramatic changes, along with contemporary aesthetic trends and international integration. 

"Since Đổi Mới (renewal) in 1986, Việt Nam has integrated with the region and the world, giving our artists the freedom and inspiration to create many works of art," said Nguyễn Anh Minh, the museum's director at the opening ceremony last Friday. 

"The constant search, exploration and adaptation of methods, materials, topics and composition makes a significant contribution to the development of Vietnamese fine arts, which is modern yet rich in tradition and national identity."

The works at the exhibition are from the museum's valuable collections, which has been preserved and expanded along with the development of the museum. They are in a wide range of genres including painting, graphics and sculptures.

"The variety of works are very strong and the works themselves are of a very high quality," said Scott Laugenour,  a member of Friends of Vietnam Heritage, and a guest at the opening ceremony. 

"It is delightful and wonderful to be here. I hope it will be very helpful for people who come to the museum. And I am happy to be a part of the group to bring this works to the world. I feel optimistic about the future of fine art and especially contemporary fine art in Việt Nam.

One of the youngest artists at the exhibition is Phạm Thuấn, with his oil-on-canvas painting Chiến Binh (Warriors). The COVID pandemic-themed painting was made in 2020. 

Thuấn, 36, graduated from Việt Nam University of Fine Arts. He actively participated in many exhibitions for young artists and won many national awards. 

In 2017, he won the first prize at the Việt Nam - Korea Fine Arts Competition and held a solo exhibition at the Korean Cultural Centre in Việt Nam.

An oil-on-canvas painting of the COVID-19 pandemic by Phạm Thuấn. 

The number of new artists has increased throughout the country, continuing the artistic achievements of the previous generation, according to Lương Xuân Đoàn, chairman of Việt Nam Fine Arts Association.

"The young and dynamic artists aspire to create and explore, establishing their own style," Đoàn said. "They confidently exchange and integrate with global developments in contemporary art."

The museum set up a permanent gallery of contemporary arts in 2010. However, due to its inconvenient location and limited space, the gallery did not meet expectations. 

With this expansion and adjustment, the new gallery of contemporary arts will be ideal for the public to come to see. 

"In the coming time, we will continue researching and adapting the exhibition to the constant development of Vietnamese contemporary arts," Minh said. 

A multimedia guide application called 'iMuseum VFA' is ready for both online and on-site visitors to enjoy the exhibition in eight languages. — VNS