Water-colour painting is a genre of art that originated in China. The paintings are done using Chinese ink on paper or silk. The main subjects of the paintings are trees, flowers, landscapes, animals and humans. Each painting includes a poem.
This type of painting developed in Ho Chi Minh City in the 1980s. Most of the famous Vietnamese painters of this genre have been influenced by the Lingnan painting school, one of the famous water-colour painting schools in the Chinese traditional art.
The methods of this school not only imitate ancient styles, but also express modern features that are seen with both an aesthetic sense and style with a concept of “the brush following the age”. The reality of creation together with diversified changes of the renovated water-colour painting has gradually formed a Vietnamese art genre that has been greatly appreciated.
Recently the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association and the Chinese Fine Arts Club organized the first exhibition on water-colour paintings with the theme “Current Water Colour Paintings”. The exhibition drew the participation of eight painters with 64 paintings, who are members of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association.  


The exhibition named “Current Water-colour Paintings”.





“Muong Khuong Market” by Huynh Tuan Ba.
“Ban Doc Waterfall” by Huynh Tuan Ba.
“Sunrise in Cao Bang” by Huynh Tuan Ba.
“Rhythm of Life” by Tran Van Hai.
“Phu My Bridge” by Ly Khac Nhu.


In these works, typical Vietnamese images are lively manifested through the liberal styles of the painters using modern colours. People can see many familiar images of Vietnam such as Ha Long Bay, Yen Bai Plateau, Ban Gioc Waterfalls, hamlets in Cao Bang Province, Phu My Bridge, colours of autumn, markets in the countryside, fishing wharfs, riverside houses, life in mountainous areas and people in coastal areas.
Some of the painters participating in this exhibition are skilled in the themes of landscape and people of Vietnam. They are Ly Khac Nhu, Truong Lo, Huynh Tuan Ba and Truong Han Minh. With their sensitivity and meticulous observation, the artists create the works from their soul, showing love for their country and people and a new vitality for the common classical painting genre.
The exhibition sends a meaningful message from Chinese and Vietnamese painters about their love of Vietnam and brings a new style to Vietnamese paintings.

VNP