Vietnamese painter Nguyễn Đại Giang (left) presents one of his works to Nguyễn Anh Minh, director of the Việt Nam Museum of Fine Arts. Photo VNA Phương Thanh

HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam Museum of Fine Arts (VNFAM) has received donations of artworks from Vietnamese painter Nguyễn Đại Giang and Japanese artist Ando Saeko.

Giang donated two paintings created in 1996, while Ando presented five lacquer works to the museum.

Giang was the first Vietnamese artist to adopt the Upside Down movement, which was introduced in 1969 by German artist Georg Baselitz. His inverted paintings force viewers to appreciate pieces for their lines, brushstrokes, form and colours rather than searching for a narrative.

Although few Vietnamese artists have embraced the Upside Down movement, the museum's appraisal council lauded Giang's works for their originality and artistic value, noting that they combine an innovative visual language with a strong sense of Vietnamese cultural identity, museum director Nguyễn Anh Minh said at the handover ceremony. 

"Giang's donation is a significant contribution to Việt Nam's fine arts and to the museum's collection," Minh said.

The two works by Giang have previously been showcased at major art competitions in Sweden and won third prize at an international drawing competitions in Stockholm. 

Ando's works are created on acrylic panels rather than traditional wooden boards or paper, offering a fresh approach to lacquer art. A long-time practitioner of lacquer art, the Japanese artist has staged several successful exhibitions in Việt Nam.

Ando is a Japanese artist and art researcher currently living in Hội An, Đà Nẵng City. After graduating from the renowned Waseda University, Ando came to Việt Nam in 1995 and studied Việt Nam’s ancient lacquer craft made with sơn ta, a natural Vietnamese lacquer under the guidance of artist Trịnh Tuấn, lacquer master Doãn Chí Trung and lacquer artisan Lâm Hữu Chính.

The museum will ensure the works are preserved under optimal conditions and exhibited to both domestic and international visitors, contributing to the promotion of the Upside Down movement alongside the creative innovations of foreign artists. — OVN/VNS