An art lover photographs a painting at the opening of the “Indonesia – Vietnam Art Dialogue” exhibition at Lotus Van Art & Community Hub, which runs until June 5. — Photo courtesy of the gallery

HCM CITY —Through brushstrokes shaped by memory, identity and cultural roots, 12 contemporary artists from Indonesia and Việt Nam are coming together in HCM City for a cross-cultural artistic dialogue celebrating heritage, nature and the human spirit.

The “Indonesia – Vietnam Art Dialogue” exhibition showcases around 30 paintings in various media, including oil and acrylic painting, watercolour and lacquer, featuring diverse styles of impressionism, abstraction, surrealism and realism.

The paintings feature various topics, such as nature, culture and the people of Việt Nam and Indonesia. Through their works, the artists also share their inner selves, feelings about the world and dedication to their country.

Six Indonesian artists bring to the exhibition acrylic, oil and watercolour paintings that express their cultural heritage and native art.

Nanang Widjaya, 58, primarily focuses on buildings, particularly heritage architecture. He captures their beauty in watercolour on canvas.

Some of his works are created directly in front of the subject, on-site, such as the Borobudur Temple and the Prambanan Temple, both historical structures renowned for their worldwide beauty. 

In this exhibition, Retno Redwindsock presents acrylic-on-canvas paintings to explore home as a sanctuary for the soul and emphasise her connection with forests and trees.

Redwindsock has a bachelor’s degree in interior design and a master’s in fine arts from the Indonesian Institute of the Arts, Yogyakarta. As a multidisciplinary artist and mixologist, she uses her trips to promote Indonesian spices, which inspire her installations and sculptures.

Indonesian and Vietnamese artists pose together at the “Indonesia – Vietnam Art Dialogue” exhibition. — Photo courtesy of the gallery

Shared dialogue 

Meanwhile, Vietnamese artists, mostly lecturers of HCM City University of Fine Arts (HUFA), express thoughts on nature, culture and spiritual life in today’s society. 

Cao Thị Được, a former lecturer of HUFA, displays oil paintings portraying Vietnamese women titled Năm Ngọ (The Year of the Horse) and Những Chiếc Lá Bàng Biển (Crown Flower Leaves).

Được, 68, holds a master’s degree in fine arts from UFA. She has dedicated her art to honouring the country's cultural values.

Her oil paintings highlight the Chăm ethnic culture, the beauty of Southern life, Vietnamese women and still-life subjects.

She has attended many international and national exhibitions. Her artworks are known by many curators and kept by international collectors.

Mai Anh Dũng, a lecturer at the Faculty of Visual Arts of HUFA, and Nguyễn Đạm Thủy, highlight Vietnamese traditional lacquer paintings, reflecting the history, memories and cultural spirit of Việt Nam, as well as concerns about ecology and the living environment amidst the rapid development of modern society.

“Indonesia and Việt Nam share a long-standing and positive relationship that continues to grow stronger in many sectors. In this regard, the field of arts and culture serves as an important modality in bringing our peoples closer together and nurturing the excellent relations between our two countries,” Adiguna Wijaya, minister counsellor of the Consulate General of Indonesia in HCM City, said.

“I sincerely hope that the 'Indonesia-Vietnam Art Dialogue' exhibition will provide meaningful benefits for artists and the wider public of both countries by enhancing mutual understanding and enriching our knowledge and appreciation of the artistic traditions and contemporary expressions of Indonesia and Việt Nam," he said.

“I also hope that through this artistic engagement, we will gain a deeper understanding of each other’s character, culture and way of life through the universal language of art.”

The exhibition remains open until June 5 at Lotus Van Art & Community Hub, 99 Nguyện Thị Thập Street, Tân Mỹ Ward. — VNS

'The Prambanan Temple', a watercolour painting by Indonesian artist Nanang Widjaya. — Photo courtesy of the gallery

'Năm Ngọ' (The Year of the Horse), a portrait painting by Vietnamese artist Cao Thị Được. — Photo courtesy of the gallery