Artist Nguyễn Linh (middle) with his daughter (left) in his exhibition opening ceremony at An Gallery on May 5. – Photo by Bến Thành Art Gallery

HCM CITY – The "Nguyễn Linh 6" solo art exhibition by northern Vietnamese artist Nguyễn Linh is depicting the rural landscapes, daily life, and cultural activities of Việt Nam's northern region.

The exhibition, his sixth solo and first in HCM City and southern Việt Nam, was launched at An Gallery in District 1 on May 5.

The exhibition showcases over 70 artworks, including both large (170-250 cm) and small (45-50 cm) sizes, created using mixed media on canvas.

"Say rồi, về bản thôi", an artwork by Artist Nguyễn Linh. – Photo by Bến Thành Art Gallery

These artworks range from portraying the familiar lives of locals to capturing artists embodying national traditional art forms such as tuồng (classical drama), chèo (traditional opera), or moments of ritualistic ceremonies like hầu đồng (also known as lên đồng).

“Cô Đồng”, an artwork by Artist Nguyễn Linh.  – Photo by Bến Thành Art Gallery

Artist Trịnh Tuân, the curator of the exhibition, said, "Artist Nguyễn Linh has been known as a painter with a rare abundance of creative energy, capable of producing hundreds of paintings of considerable size in just a few seasons. But for me, his talent does not solely lie in the enormous quantity, diverse subjects, and monumental scale of his works. The 'strength' in his creativity lies in his mindset, his knowledge, and a solid cultural foundation."

Visitors at the exhibition. – Photo by Bến Thành Art Gallery

Linh Nguyễn, Managing Director of Linh Nguyễn Art House and daughter of artist Nguyễn Linh, said during the opening ceremony that her father did not pursue an artistic career from the beginning but spent over 20 years of his life taking care of his family. It was only after his children had grown up that he decided to return to his artistic path.

The exhibited artworks are considered as "folk treasures" of Nguyễn Linh, representing his dedication and love in creating and expressing the unique life and cultural traits of Việt Nam's northern region.

“This exhibition aims to help both local and international friends gain a deeper understanding of the life and cultural artistic forms of northern Việt Nam through these paintings,” she said.

Artist Nguyễn Linh was born in 1961 in Hà Nội. He graduated from the Hà Nội University of Fine Arts in 1983. He previously worked for Việt Nam Architecture Magazine. However, by 1990, he redirected his full passion towards fine art.

The exhibition is organised by Bến Thành Art Gallery and will be open until May 19. – VNS