BEAUTIFUL ART - Viewers enjoy paintings by Cao Thị Được, which are on display at her solo exhibition “Lặng Lẽ Một Chặng Đường” (A Journey of Tranquillity) held at the HCM City Fine Arts Museum until October 9. Photo courtesy of the museum

HCM CITY — Tài tử music and cải lương (reformed opera) are major topics of paintings created by Cao Thị Được, a native of the Cửu Long (Mekong) province of Bến Tre, which are on display at the HCM City Fine Arts Museum.

The exhibition Lặng Lẽ Một Chặng Đường (A Journey of Tranquillity) displays more than 100 paintings in various materials of oil, acrylic and watercolour created by Được since 1985.

As a native of the Mekong Delta, Được reminds viewers of nostalgic tunes of tài tử music and cải lương, a traditional genre of southern theatre which began in the early 1920s in the region, through her paintings Tiếng Đàn Kìm (Sound of Two-Stringed Guitar), Bóng Thời Gian (A Shadow of Time), and Cải Lương.

The 66-year-old artist said, “I paint for myself. But what I haven’t had the chance to express to my father and mother, I seek in my paintings. I’ve been drawing paintings on the theme of cải lương since 2007 as a way to thank my parents during the Vu Lan Festival.

“I draw on cải lương and melodies of folk music by southern people. I recall nostalgic tunes of đàn kìm played by my father and of traditional musical instruments played by couples living on boats travelling here and there,” she added.

SOUTHERN CULTURE - Tiếng Đàn Kìm (Sound of Two-Stringed Guitar), an oil painting by Cao Thị Được.

The showcase also includes paintings featuring Được’s happy memories of her childhood, Việt Nam’s landscapes and lifestyle, and the beauty of Vietnamese women.

In particular, the artist introduces a collection of works highlighting the culture, lifestyle and people of the Chăm minority group.

Portraits of her son and still-life paintings are featured as well.

Được said, “I am happy. Through this exhibition, I send my love for the South from my childhood memories. The exhibition also reflects my reminiscences about classic cải lương plays, performances of tài tử music by local artists, and beautiful landscapes in Việt Nam and abroad where I have had a chance to visit.”

Được graduated from the HCM City Fine Arts University in 1990. She earned a Master’s degree in 1995, and then became a lecturer at the school.

She has participated in dozens of exhibitions in Việt Nam and other countries such as Mongolia, the US, China, South Korea, and Singapore.

She is a member of the Việt Nam Fine Arts Association, and the city’s Fine Arts Association.

The exhibition Lặng Lẽ Một Chặng Đường remains open until October 9 at 97A Phó Đức Chính Street in District 1. — VNS

PRETTY PAINTING - Bóng Thời Gian (A Shadow of Time), an oil painting by Cao Thị Được.