Artist Nguyen Kim Chi with the work "The Day of Testament Proclamation"
From June 14 to 20, Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts (97A Pho Duc Chinh, District 1) welcomes the exhibition Wind by artist Nguyen Kim Chi.
The exhibition is an artistic space full of contemplation about human destiny, where Kim Chi's works lead viewers to explore complex emotions, from deep loneliness to the desire to connect and share.
Art forged from two cultures
In 2013, a challenging turning point opened up when Kim Chi left Vietnam, choosing Normandy - the land associated with long cold rains, the cradle of Impressionist painting - as a place to settle down and create.
Here, she participated in outdoor painting sessions with the Impressionists, and was partly influenced by this school.
From the fusion and crystallization of Eastern and Western European art, she formed a unique style, affirming her name in the Expressionist school.
She was invited to be an honorary artist at many exhibitions in France and was one of the artists of the Expressionist group at the Comparaisons salon, part of the Art Capital de Paris exhibition - which was once a launching pad for famous artists such as Picasso, Dali, Zao Wou-ki...
The reception from art lovers around the world helped Kim Chi boldly establish the Fine Arts Association La Seine et le Mekong (The Seine and the Mekong). As a cultural bridge, the association creates conditions for Vietnamese artists to go to France and French artists to come to Vietnam, giving artists the opportunity to explore the culture of each country.
Proof of the association's initial success are three exhibitions held in both Vietnam and France, with sponsorship from both countries.
People with stories
Dr. Ma Thanh Cao - former director of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum - said she followed Kim Chi when she was in Vietnam and was very moved by her maturity in painting:
“During her years in France, Kim Chi wandered around famous museums, self-reflecting and self-studying to perfect her techniques and colors. Her outlook on life is also quite unique.
Instead of mentioning the splendor of France, Kim Chi sees there the hidden corners of life, loneliness and desolation. Looking at Kim Chi's paintings, people understand the loneliness of a Vietnamese person in a foreign land, even though he has a family here, he still cannot fully integrate.
Kim Chi's works have the gray color of the sky of Northern France.
Finding Hope in the Darkness
Throughout Kim Chi's creative journey, the human image always occupies a central position. Because for her, humans are the center of life, of all causes and effects, from love, anxiety, dreams and aspirations...
The work The Confidants takes the viewer into a deep inner space, where a group of people sit side by side on a bench, each seemingly immersed in their own thoughts. The bowed heads and pensive looks clearly show the burden of thoughts that are not easy to express.
The characters are drawn in warm tones, creating a strong contrast with the dark background behind, highlighting their presence but also emphasizing the loneliness of each individual. Even though they sit next to each other, there seems to be an invisible distance between them, each with their own world and their own thoughts.
Storm shelter
Or with a warmer and more optimistic tone, the work Taking refuge from the storm depicts a group of people huddled together, seeking shelter and support. The image of people taking shelter from the storm together shows solidarity in harsh circumstances. The light surrounding the characters evokes the belief that people can overcome any storm together.
As Kim Chi confided, the darker her paintings are, the brighter the light of hope viewers will find. "My works have no clear limits. It can be a place where viewers can see themselves in their own experiences from the past and present. Or it can be a place to provoke questions about their intimate relationship with humanity," artist Kim Chi confided.
Two girls
Lonely Man 2
Painter Nguyen Thi Kim Chi is a former lecturer in the Fine Arts Department of Dong Thap University and a member of the Fine Arts Association of Dong Thap province.
In 2015, she founded the La Seine et le Mekong Fine Arts Association, aiming to facilitate Vietnamese-French cultural exchange through art, as its president.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/con-nguoi-la-loai-co-don-hay-gan-ket-20250614154854244.htm
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