ON THE SILK ROAD: Bùi Tiến Tuấn at the exhibition opening. Photo thethaovanhoa.v

Bùi Tiến Tuấn has a new solo exhibition to mark his 30 years in painting. The exhibition Bùi Tiến Tuấn - A Journey is on in parallel at two locations - the HCM City Exhibition House and Sann - The House of Art in HCM City. Tuấn, one of a few Vietnamese artists to specialise in silk painting, talks to us about his work.

Tell us about silk painting and when did you first start?

From the beginning I chose painting on silk but at that time, my creativity with silk materials was not attractive enough to be paid any attention. So after struggling, I turned to oil painting and other styles. But I failed again and I seriously thought about my path.

At that time I was young and full of energy so I decided to start again with silk painting with all my burning passion. I presented one of my silk paintings to a veteran artist. After looking at it, he convinced me that I would be popular. I was both happy and although I didn't know that his prediction would come true, it was a strong source of encouragement urging me to move forward. It's been 30 years.

Silk masterpieces about young women by Nguyễn Phan Chánh and Lê Phổ are popular. How do you explain your success with the same-themed paintings?

Perhaps it is a contrast with the paintings of the masters? I think that changes in social life make the public's enjoyment of art also change. If people need a silk painting of a young woman in the old style, they will look for the artists at the first period of modern Vietnamese fine arts. These artists studied and graduated from the Indochina College of Fine Arts, the first based on the western model.

I used to feel stuck and uninspired because silk painting is judged by the Indochina college standards. It will be not a painting about Việt Nam if it doesn't look like their style, which really is a huge barrier for young artists.

But if I don't choose another path, I'm just a pale shadow of myself.

I put into my works modern nuances of the city, across every aspect. According to cinema language it means that viewers will see themselves in my works. It seems that this has resonated with the public and they see me as someone who helps revive Vietnamese silk paintings.

PRETTY AS A PICTURE: A silk painting by Bùi Tiến Tuấn. Photo danviet.vn

The young women in your silk paintings are diverse, but the colours and lines are a little bit similar to Japanese paintings. So are your pieces for Vietnamese collectors or foreigners?

Most of my collectors are Vietnamese. I think that those people have walked through museums and galleries around the world many times. They have a deep background of knowledge and experience in painting. I am truly grateful for the sympathy of like-minded souls.

The young women in my paintings are no longer traditional shy and modest. I portray them with confidence and sexy beauty. I draw women not only honouring them but also listening to and feeling unspoken words.

I always believe that silk is a material helping artist much more than we think. It can tell story, it can feel and it can touch the things that are not easy to speak out.

How long did you make nearly 100 paintings for the exhibition?

The time includes old and new ones which I have created over my 30 years of working. Hopefully collectors, critics, and art lovers will see other aspects of me. In addition to Tuấn of the 'new beauty' on silk, they will see my post-school era with a concern for urban reality through big-sized acrylic paintings and traditional poonah paintings.

You have had eleven solo exhibitions before, what is the highlight this time?

Previous exhibitions are all milestones that show the audience my path. It is a thorough understanding of how to realistically view society through my lens. It's a whole world where I can tell stories in my own way.

I nurtured this exhibition for four years. During the pandemic I slowed down and took time to reflect and enjoy the nolstagia. In that time of contemplation, I always have memories of the compositions during the 1990s and the early years of the millennium. I remember 1990s when people did not live as quickly as they do nowadays.

Those flashback images are constantly intertwined with footage of the constantly transforming bustling urban area that is taking place in my mind. I use artistic language to express the world that is filled in my soul and create art based on that mindset and memories.

Those who have collected my paintings over a long journey will recognise this. The public will see a panorama with more pieces which enable them to get better understanding about my creativity. VNS