THROUGH THE EYES OF AN ARTIST

Nguyen Sang

In today’s atmosphere of cultural and economic liberalization, Vietnam’s fine arts are flourishing. Art lovers will find a wonderful eclectic selection of works, which incorporate various international influences with traditional Vietnamese techniques and themes. Traditional Vietnamese paintings done on framed pieces of silk date back to the 13th century. At this time, the artists were scholars and calligraphers who painted historic events and natural scenes. Lifelike ancestor-portraits and portraits of royalty and famous Buddhist monks were also produced on silk scrolls.

Lacquer art also has a long history in Vietnam, having been introduced from China in themid-15th century. While many of today’s works are produced quickly with chemical dyes, some artists still observe the original, painstaking process. Lacquer is a natural resin obtained from the son tree. It is applied in layers – each of which must dry for a week between coats – to a teak frame or base. Designs are then painted, engraved or inlaid with pieces of mother-of-pearl, eggshells, silver, or gold. The resulting canvases are both luminous and subtle and contain more depth than those works produced by modern means.

In the 20th century, along with traditional silk and lacquer paintings, Vietnamese artists turned to oil and watercolors. In 1925, the French founded the Ecole Superieure des Beaux Arts d’Indochine in Hanoi. This school helped to shape a generation of incredibly gifted painters. Among them masters like Bui Xuan Phai, Nguyen Tu Nghiem, Nguyen Sang and To Ngoc Van. These painters drew on contemporary European trends to revolutionize Vietnamese art, creating a fusion of eastern and western styles. This trend continues today as Vietnam’s young artists turn out increasingly experimental works. With a strong national identity and a history of innovation, Vietnam’s contemporary art is drawing worldwide attention.