Ancient bronze drums inspire painter

(29-11-2008)

What do you see? A painting entitled Spring Sunshine is among those on display at the show.

HA NOI — An exhibition titled Inspirations from Motifs of Dong Son Bronze Drums by well-known painter Van Duong Thanh opened in Ha Noi.

Featuring 40 large-sized paintings, the exhibition includes many paintings that haven’t been seen before, such as O Quan Chuong in Spring, Wild Flowers in Wind, and The Buddhist and Daisies.

During her childhood Thanh studied and admired the patterns and art of bronze artefacts commonly found in villages. The ancient art impressed Thanh and has been expressed, both clearly and diffusely, in the composition, brush strokes, and mood of her new exhibition.

Through her oil and lacquer paintings, the beauty of the Vietnamese spirit and soul are also expressed vividly, which helps viewers explore the country in an artistic way.

"I love Thanh’s paintings, because they are very Vietnamese, and have a personal style, her work can’t be mistaken for any other artist’s," said Ha Minh Huyen, a visitor to the exhibition.

Thanh has lived in Sweden since 1988, but returns to Viet Nam often to find inspiration. She has had over 65 solo exhibitions in countries such as France, Thailand, Singapore, Germany, and the United States.

Through her paintings, Vietnamese art was introduced to the outside world, and she was called an ambassador of Vietnamese culture. That’s why on the first day of the exhibition, many special visitors could be seen, such as Mexican Ambassador Ricacdo Camara, Egyptian Ambassador Alaa Elleissy, and Spanish ambassador Soledad Fuents. There are also visitors from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, scholars from different universities, and foreigners who are Thanh’s fine arts students.

"Thanh’s paintings also serve as a bridge between Vietnamese culture and the world. Through her work, we can also see the independent and strong character of Vietnamese woman," remarks fine arts researcher Nguyen Hai Yen, one of the visitors.

Born in Phu Yen Province, Thanh studied painting for 12 years, during the American War in Viet Nam. Thanh is the youngest painter to have a painting on display at the Viet Nam Art Museum, titled White Daisy. Now, she is one of the most recognised female artists in Asia.

The exhibition runs until Sunday, at Dong Son Drum Restaurant, No 1 Tran Dang Ninh Street, Ha Noi. —VNS