Chân Dung Thiếu Nữ (Portrait of A Teenage Girl), a wax on canvas painting created by late artist Luu Cong Nhan (1929-2007). Photo courtesy of the organiser

The exhibition “Xuôi Dòng Sông Thu” (Downstream of the Thu Bon River) is curated by arts researchers Ngo Kim Khoi and Ly Doi, and artist Ngo Tran Vu.

The showcase includes 164 paintings in different materials such as oil, acrylic, pencil and wax crayon, and in surrealist, abstract, semi-abstract and impressionistic styles.

The paintings feature a wide range of topics, including the beauty of the country, lifestyles, portraits and still life.

A highlighted work is Chân Dung Thiếu Nữ (Portrait of a Teenage Girl), a wax on canvas, created in 1972 by late artist Luu Cong Nhan (1929-2007), one of Vietnam’s most famous contemporary artists.

Nhan was a student of famous artist To Ngoc Van (1906-1954), one of Vietnam’s most influential painters in the first half of the 20th century.

After graduating from the Vietnam Fine Arts College in 1953, Nhan travelled the country, capturing major historical events on canvas, particularly during the two French and American wars.

His two acclaimed oil paintings, Cày Ruộng (Ploughing) in 1960 and Buổi Sáng Sương Mù Trên Đỉnh Ba Vì (A Misty Morning on Ba Vi Mountain) in 1963, are in the permanent collection of the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi.

Tĩnh Vật (Still Life), an acrylic on canvas painting by Le Tuong. Photo courtesy of the organiser

The exhibition also displays works by famous contemporary artists such as Trăng Khuyết (Crescent Moon) by Muong Man, Mekong by Le Trieu Dien, and Tĩnh Vật (Still Life) by Le Tuong.

Around 50 - 100 per cent of the profit from painting sales will go to the Gieo Nhà Gặt Nhà Fund run by artist Vu and his partners to build houses for the poor in the central region.

“Through the Xuôi Dòng Sông Thu exhibition, we hope to raise VND700 million (US$30,000) to build 14 houses,” Vu said.

The exhibition can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/ngotranvublog until September 30.  VNS

Artists raise funds to build houses

A campaign by artist Ngo Tran Vu has raised nearly VND200 million (nearly US$9,000) to build houses for poor people through an online painting auction.

Students show how far 1,000 dong can go

Money raised by saving 1,000 dong each day by Tran Quang Khai High School’s students has helped build houses, roads and power lines in Khoai Chau District, the northern province of Hung Yen since 2015.