The golden tones of Tran Ngoc Linh

Amidst the quiet space of the museum, the exhibition 'Golden Tones' by Tran Ngoc Linh opens up a soft light, where lacquer not only attracts with its splendid golden glow but also with the lingering echoes of time and the perseverance of a female painter who loves lacquer.

Feel the beauty of lacquer in the space of "Golden tones" by Tran Ngoc Linh - Photo: H.VY

Golden Tone is Tran Ngoc Linh's second solo exhibition, bringing together more than 90 lacquer paintings created by her over the past five years, on display until November 30 at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts.

The exhibition not only marks a career milestone but also Linh's gratitude to the teachers who guided her, to the materials that chose her, and to her own journey of quiet efforts.

Freeing ourselves from prejudice to live with lacquer

As a painter who graduated from the lacquer department of Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts and was mentored by two Southern lacquer masters, Nguyen Lam and Ho Huu Thu, Ngoc Linh brings a creative space rich in inner strength.

Her lacquer paintings are where traditional materials convey the contemporary emotions of a unique female artist, not afraid to choose the difficult path. While many young people experiment with new mixed materials, she returns to gold, silver, vermilion, then, cockroach wings... traditional materials that require meticulousness, expense and hard work.

But for Linh, difficulties are not something to be avoided. She worked hard and learned how to “liberate prejudices” to truly live and commit to lacquer.

“In reality, making lacquer is very hard work because it requires a lot of time, patience, and a long investment in a work. But when you master it and find your own method, the process of making lacquer becomes light, smooth, and enjoyable.

My teachers taught me that when working in art, I shouldn't wait for inspiration or ideas to start working. I choose to release my ideas, do the technical part first, arrange the colors to be harmonious, then incorporate emotional and cultural elements... Only with a solid foundation and proficient techniques can I master my emotions," Linh shared.

Tran Ngoc Linh among her golden stories - Photo: H.VY

As a young female artist with a family and children, pursuing lacquer painting is even more challenging, requiring not only passion but also organizational thinking, discipline and belief in the value of her work.

In Linh’s way of working, lacquer painting is a form of meditation. She focuses on the task at hand, not thinking too much so as not to be distracted. Linh transforms the hard work into a breathing rhythm, persistent and regular every day. Behind the splendor are countless layers of polishing, coating, and waiting.

Therefore, Golden Tone impresses with both the visual beauty and the spiritual structure of lacquer: the layers of sediment, the layers of polish that evoke memories, the golden glow of faith and the dark patches of silence.

Viewers watch "Ocean Imprint" by Tran Ngoc Linh - Photo: H.VY

Looking at the petite Linh among the large lacquer paintings, viewers seem to feel another "golden" beauty: perseverance, dedication, hard work and determination.

“The path to becoming an artist has never been easy. There were times when I felt lonely, and times when I wanted to stop, but my belief in beauty and my love for lacquer helped me keep going.

I still work quietly every day, persistently finding my own voice so that today I can share that positive energy with viewers," Tran Ngoc Linh confided.

For Tran Ngoc Linh, drawing is a way of life, a breath, a way for her to show gratitude for life - Photo: H.VY

The Beauty of Waiting

Tran Ngoc Linh expressed that painting is a refuge, where she finds peace and balance in the midst of a busy life. There, lacquer is like a confidant who teaches her to listen and wait.

Looking closely at Linh's paintings, viewers can easily feel the peace she cultivates through her spiritual life. Her skillful craftsmanship and rich inner emotions give her paintings a certain calmness, deep but not sad, gentle but not weak, both ethereal and weighty.

There is a fierceness hidden beneath the calm surface. It is the fierceness and enthusiasm of a young person who chooses to say what he wants through his work, through professionalism and seriousness towards his profession.

Feel the story hidden under the lacquer surface

Curator and artist Phan Trong Van commented: "To me, Golden Tone is a confirmation that the current generation of young artists, at least those like Linh, are bringing Vietnamese lacquer back to its rightful place: a material with depth, soul, and a truly contemporary voice.

Above all, this is a beautiful story about a small female artist standing in the middle of a large art playground without shaking her hand. She just quietly worked, and then one golden day naturally lit up around her," Phan Trong Van commented.

The exhibition runs until November 30 at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts.

A corner of Tran Ngoc Linh's abstract lacquer painting

Foreign visitors attentively explore lacquer paintings

Painter Nguyen Duy Nhut and painter Xuan Thu talk about their works

Watch "Beauty's Dream" by Tran Ngoc Linh

HUYNH VY

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/am-sac-vang-son-cua-tran-ngoc-linh-20251127071434769.htm