A painting by Hiền Nguyễn on display at the exhibition 'Unfolding'.

HÀ NỘI — Twelve abstract lacquer paintings by artist Hiền Nguyễn will be unveiled on Friday at her latest exhibition at the Việt Nam National Fine Arts Museum in Hà Nội.

Entitled Trẩy (Unfolding), the collection of large artworks invites audiences into a blossoming of imagination and a journey through expanded space.

For the artist, abstract painting is a medium through which thoughts, soul and subconscious are projected, allowing her to journey alongside her true self. — Photo courtesy of the artist

Rather than seeking instant visual impact, the paintings encourage a deeper sensory encounter.

Monumental canvases and multi-panel compositions, with thick, darkly treated surfaces, evoke a sense of compressed material space where layers of lacquer accumulate into layers of meaning. Viewing becomes more than observation, compelling audiences to contemplate and explore every detail.

Hiền developed Unfolding along two distinct directions. The first group of works recalls primordial geological eras, with imagery of lava and matter in formation, offering a reflection on the origins of life.

The second group comprises conceptual pieces, such as Hỗn Mang (Chaos), Ký Ức Của Gen (Genetic Memory) and Đường Biên Của Mộng Mị (The Border of Dreams), where imagination and memory serve as the principal materials.

Together, these two currents form a continuous axis, stretching from the genesis of matter to the deepest layers of consciousness.

A book of the same title has been released alongside the exhibition, marking a concentrated creative phase in Hiền's exploration of lacquer. — Photo courtesy of the artist

For the artist, abstract painting is “a medium through which thoughts, soul and subconscious are projected, allowing me to journey alongside my true self”.

An introvert who grew up amid the economic hardships of post-war Việt Nam in the 1980s, Hiền made a pivotal decision in her thirties: she left behind a career in garment and fashion design to devote herself entirely to lacquer painting.

“For me, painting is a medium through which I truly feel alive,” she said.

Curator Vũ Huy Thông notes that her practice revolves around the notion of space, with a distinctive ability to expand the boundaries of painting. Intangible elements and the viewer’s perception actively participate, creating an open-ended experience.

Art critic Nguyễn Thanh Sơn adds that lacquer in Hiền's work is not merely a material for visual form, but also a way of thinking.

Hiền Nguyễn works on a lacquer painting. — Photo courtesy of the artist

A book of the same title has been released alongside the exhibition, marking a concentrated creative phase in the artist's exploration of lacquer.

Before Unfolding, Hiền staged seven solo exhibitions in Hà Nội, HCM City and the state of Virginia in the US. The exhibition is open from 6pm on Friday and runs until May 5 at the Việt Nam National Fine Arts Museum. — VNS