The “99 Group”, consisting of professional artists and former journalists, has officially started a painting exhibition on June 18 to celebrate the 99th anniversary of the country’s Revolutionary Press Day at HCM City District 3’s Vietnam News Agency. VNS Photo Gia Linh

HCM CITY – A painting exhibition held by the “99 Group” that includes former journalists and veteran artists has officially started this morning at the Vietnam News Agency in HCM City’s District 3.

It celebrates the 99th anniversary of the country’s Revolutionary Press Day on June 21.

The event showcases 130 artworks that revolve around portraits, scenery and still life objects, to name a few, and were created from different materials such as oil paint, acrylic paint, water colour, silk, and fountain pen.

Eight members of the group are either former journalists or professional artists.

Most of the journalists started making art at a later stage of life, and some just started painting a few years ago after their retirement.

The exhibition features paintings made from various materials such as oil paint, acrylic paint, water colour, silk, and fountain pen, and they centre around portraits, scenery, and still life objects. VNS Photo Gia Linh

The group leader, Nguyễn Tiến Lễ, had been the former director of the Southern Office of the Vietnam News Agency for 40 years before his retirement.

The self-learned Lễ started painting in 2017 and has joined three exhibitions held by the city’s Fine Arts Association.

With over 50 years of experience in traditional lacquer painting, veteran artist Ngô Thành Nhân has received several national awards.

Nhân formerly worked at the Vietnam Culture and Information Publishing House and is now a lecturer at the University of Fine Arts.

His work Tài Nguyên Biển Đảo (Maritime Resources) with measurements of 90-180 centimetres is also the largest to be displayed at the exhibition.

Artist Nguyễn Nghiêm is a former reporter of the Tân Bình District’s Radio Communication Station (HCM City) and is currently a lecturer at the Industrial Arts Department of many universities.

All fifteen of Nghiêm’s works at the event are scenery paintings.

Artist and former journalist Vũ Kim Sơn was a distinct photographer of the Báo Ảnh Việt Nam (Vietnam Pictorial) Newspaper.

Having created art since 2000, Sơn has applied his photography skills to the way he does his paintings.

Most of his works shown in the exhibition are about daily life and scenery.

Journalist Đỗ Hương has worked at multiple positions in the industry before creating art in 2003, and she uses her paintings to raise funds and organise charity events.

Hương also works with silk and acrylic paint, and paintings made from these materials are also showcased at the exhibition.

Nguyễn Hồng Nga is the vice chairwoman of the city’s Photographers Association and a member of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists.

Her love for painting started in 2000, and she has since joined multiple exhibitions.

Seven of Nga’s paintings at the event are about still life painting, the beauty of women, and scenery.

Huỳnh Dũng Nhân, is the former chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association and the former chief editor of Người Làm Báo (Journalists) Magazine.

Nhân started painting while suffering from a debilitating health problem and was able to create over 3,000 paintings after three years.

The exhibition features his collection “Người tôi yêu mến” (My Favourite People) which includes portraits of his colleagues and artists.

The last and youngest member, Tiểu Tân, is a reporter at the Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (Liberated Sài Gòn) Newspaper.

Since 2021, Tân has joined nine exhibitions held by the city’s Fine Arts Association and another by the International Watercolor Association in Việt Nam and the Sài Gòn Watercolour Club.

Her 20 paintings shown in the exhibition are made from silk and watercolour, and they are mostly about scenery, still life objects, and portraits.

A portrait of former President Hồ Chí Minh was later gifted by artist Huỳnh Dũng Nhân to Lê Quốc Minh, a member of 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the chief editor of the Nhân Dân (People) Newspaper.

The exhibition runs until June 26 and entry is free for visitors. VNS