‘Space and Rhythm II’ by artist Vinh Phoi opened at HCMC Fine Arts Museum, featuring 50 works mainly made of oil on canvas and mixed media, on Sunday.



For half a century working in the abstract art area, Phoi has used many special images extracted from the ancient civilization of Dong Son or signs and symbols of Eastern culture such as Yin and Yang, the white and black symbols, the first ten cardinal numbers, square symbol meaning the earth or a circle symbol meaning the cosmos according to old thinking.

“The novelty and toughness of the contemporary painting had a compelling impact on him, though such innovation and modernity contrasting with the innate fragility and character of such a reticent person. It is in such contrast of modern arts philosophy against the offhand, tough and liberating technique that reflects his genuine training with Western painting,” said Dr. Phan Thanh Binh, adding Vinh Phoi’s paintings are a harmony of Western and Orient arts, between his Vietnamese soul and a European modern view and technique.

Born in 1938 in Hue City, Vinh Phoi graduated at National Institute of Fine Art of Saigon in 1958, in 1961 to 1963, he graduated in painting and sculpture at  the Academia di Belle Arti di Rom in Rome. In 1963-1966, he received a certificate in the history of art at University of Roma and Faculty of Letters. From 1962 to 1966, he was founder and Secretary General of Association of Asian Artists in Rome.

From 1967 to 1975, he came back to Vietnam and was director of Institute of Fine Arts of Hue. In 1973 he received a UNESCO scholarship for research on Oriental Arts (conducted in Japan, Korea, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand).

Now he is associate dean and professor in College of Arts at Hue University.

He has given out many solo and group exhibitions in Rome, Tokyo, Italy, Brazil, Paris, Thailand, Switzerland, Hue and Hanoi. This is the first time Phoi has had a solo show in HCMC.

Phoi has received many awards such as Targa d’Agent Award in Genoa, Italy in 1960, Silver Medal, International Student Exhibition Roma, sponsored by ‘Journal d’Italie’ in 1961, second prize, International Competition of Contemporary Art, Bracciano, Roma and silver medal for International Exhibition of Contemporary Art , Viterbo, Italy in 1962.

The show runs until May 15 at the museum, 97A Pho Duc Chinh Street in District 1.

SGT