VietNamNet Bridge – Twenty paintings by Nguyen The Hung are on display at an exhibition entitled Da Dien (Polyhedra) in Ha Noi, featuring bright colours and sprouts that represent life.

A painting on display by artist Hung. — Photo VNS Thuy Binh

The semi-abstract paintings are incomplete and have been selected from three collections, entitled Ngay Roi (Lazy Days), Va Hoa Da Mua Xuong (And the Flowers Fell from the Sky) and Nhung Bong Hoa Nho (Little Flowers), done by Hung about ten years ago.

The paintings from Little Flowers show the artist's search for the beginnings of life and love of mankind, while And the Flowers Fell from the Sky's paintings remind viewers about natural beauty. Flowers with scent and rain falling on the land help new buds to sprout. The Lazy Days collection features flowers and clouds, with very Asian characteristics.

"These paintings are like trees in a garden where I can feel and listen to them," Hung said. "They grow and mature like me. After painting for such a long time, I have matured in my thinking about life and it has changed me in my paintings."

Three paintings entitled May and Mua (Cloud and Rain) 1, 2 and 3 are the highlights of the exhibition, and are the largest, measuring 194cm by 128cm.

"I want to use do (poonah) paper, which is close to nature. Do paper is made from the bark of a tree that grows in Viet Nam. I think this material is typical of Asia," the artist said.

He combines acrylic and Chinese ink with gold leaf and poonah paper. He composes great characters dressed in brocade, similar to those of the Thai ethnic group, held in majesty in a world filled with several small seeds.

Inspired by Buddhism and meditation of nature, Hung wants to discover and dig deep into life on earth to find these seeds of love and hope that are just waiting to sprout. The public will discover this in the Polyhedra collection.

"When I see Hung's paintings, I get a feeling that under the artist's eyes, seeds like buds appear everywhere," Bruno Asseray, the French embassy's cultural attache and the Cultural Centre's director, said.

"With weather conditions such as wind and rain, along with mud, the seeds will sprout and grow. These paintings are really trees that grew with time and became beautiful artworks," the director said.

It is the first solo exhibition by Hung to be held at the Centre.

Born in 1981, Hung graduated from Viet Nam Fine Arts Academy. He lives and works in Ha Noi.

He has held solo exhibitions in Ha Noi, HCM City and Hue, and group exhibitions in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

"The exhibition at the French Cultural Centre is good as it allows me to introduce my paintings to the public. Like any other artist, I want to exhibit my paintings to receive feedback from colleagues, collectors and the general public," Hung said.

The Polyhedra exhibition will run till February 28 at 24 Trang Tien Street.

Source: VNS