STRIKE A POSE: N1-23.10.2021 by Nhã Tĩnh. Photos courtesy of the artist

HÀ NỘI – In her solo exhibition titled Nhã 23, Nhã Tĩnh showcases the fruits of her two-year-long journey of self-discovery and self-expression through painting.

The exhibition which will open on Thursday, marks the debut of Nhã's paintings and features 65 small and medium pieces, conveying a sense of familiarity and warmth.

Through her artwork, Nhã invites viewers to delve into her inner world and experience the emotions she has poured into each piece. Her paintings offer a glimpse into her worldview, reflecting her personal journey and the growth she has experienced along the way.

With a focus on gentle, carefree, and simple beauty, each painting elicits a primitive emotion in those who view them.

The paintings are mostly self-portraits made with acrylic on canvas, acrylic on traditional dó paper and paper collages.

"Dó paper is handmade material," said Nhã. "The first time l touched it, l felt the soul, the energy, the heart, the hope and the dream of someone who made the amazingly beautiful material.

"I feel dó paper is alive. It communicates to me, and it’s connected to my soul."

With paintings from as tiny as her palm to large, square-metre creations, Nhã has been discovering herself – a free individual in a familiar but quite new world, according to artist and fine art critic Trịnh Lữ.

"Palm-size is enough, Lữ said. "More than enough for recording the moment’s intoxication. Passionate enough to capture anyone sensitive enough to see it, even to make them want to caress those palm-size surfaces. The natural-textured dó paper is the right surface for this kind of work."

Nhã is currently a senior account manager of FPT Corporation, though she still dedicates up to 13 hours a day to her artwork. She has about 500 paintings in total.

The paintings at Nhã 23 exhibition were made during her work at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

N2–15.9.2022 acrylic on canvas by Nhã Tĩnh. EYE CONTACT: N2–15.9.2022 by Nhã Tĩnh.

"I have time to think about life when I worked from home," said Nhã. "My inner energy urges me to paint. It was my dream when I was small."

N1 - 23.10.2021 depicts a young girl in a yellow dress next to a black cat with a small bird in her hand.

It is one of Nhã's brightest paintings, aiming to carry positive energy that transmits warm emotions and a certain earnest hope to the exhibition viewers.

Nhã started painting in 2021. From the first brushstroke until now, there has always been a pure and naive spirit in her works, according to the exhibition curator Phạm Long.

"Painting with natural talent without going through school has certain advantages for Nhã," Long said. "As with many self-taught artists, she is not hindered by schools of thought or theories.

"Every colour patch, every stroke or collage in the paintings is a trace of emotion, an expression of mood, a symbol, and also a hidden structure of aesthetics, so it can stimulate imagination or evoke empathy in viewers."

The exhibition will run until April 2 at Mây artspace, 36/70 Nguyễn Gia Trí, Bình Thạnh District, HCM City. VNS