Dang Mau Tuu: Lands of Memories

(GLO) - In the twelfth lunar month of the Year of the Snake (2015), the exhibition "Lands We Remember" by artist Dang Mau Tuu took place in Wellington (New Zealand) and was warmly received by the public and highly appreciated by experts.

For Dang Mau Tuu in particular, the greatest takeaway from this experience was the spirit of travel, the yearning to go, to see new lands, in order to find inspiration for his writing.

Artist Dang Mau Tuu. Photo: D.A.

1. When mentioning the travels of Dang Mau Tuu, the first place that comes to mind is Hue . Dang Mau Tuu was born in the Nẫu region, but he spent almost his entire life in Hue. He studied in Hue, spent his youth in Hue, and was practically a certified Hue native, as his friends often jokingly said. But he also never stopped traveling.

The paper boat (Painting by artist Dang Mau Tuu). Photo: Provided by the artist.

Any creative person longs to travel and explore the beautiful natural world of the land, rivers, and mountains where they live, where they have been, near or far, far or even across the ocean to the land of the Kiwis, as Dang Mau Tuu often says to his friends in intimate conversations.

And this time, New Zealand is the place where he – an artist originally from the Nẫu region – can freely explore, experience, and nurture his creativity.

Dang Mau Tuu possessed a remarkable ability to capture the essence and character of the places he visited and the people he intentionally approached and befriended. The land of the Kiwi, with its beautiful nature, opened up and explored many new and unique emotions for his soul.

New Zealand, a small, beautiful, gentle, and dreamy land, as its Maori name, Aotearoa – A land of white clouds, captivates Dang Mau Tuu.

Evidence of this is that when he coincidentally met and was impressed by a Kiwi girl in Waterloo, he shared these feelings and this connection in two paintings, "The Girl I Met in Waterloo" and "Sunny Garden."

“I painted the garden in Hue when I passed by a park in Waterloo-Lower Hutt, a wonderful light. I painted it as if I were bringing it back to Hue, with some girls appearing and chatting, so poetic. Both places are beautiful to me,” Dang Mau Tuu confided.

Mother (Painting by artist Dang Mau Tuu). Photo: Provided by the artist.

2. "Lands of Memories" is an exhibition that connects the strange reunion story that Dang Mau Tuu has long cherished.

The exhibition, featuring 30 artworks, was suggested, supported, and organized by Viet Hub NZ, a Vietnamese community in New Zealand that connects and assists Vietnamese people living abroad, while also promoting the beauty of Vietnamese culture to international friends.

For Dang Mau Tuu, Hue is his second home, so he has chosen many works that evoke the essence of Hue, its landscapes… These could be scenes of Hue girls strolling through the sunny spring, ablaze with colorful flowers and fruits. They could also be stories about the beautiful traditional Vietnamese culture in Hue, such as the Vu Lan festival or the Mid-Autumn Festival.

And of course, there must be a corner for his homeland, where he cherishes memories and personal inspirations. The Nẫu region in Đặng Mậu Tựu's paintings is not just Mỹ Thọ and Phù Mỹ, but also evokes Tân Thành - Mỹ An beach, Đề Gi lagoon - Phù Cát…

He balances warm and cool tones with the sincere, simple emotions of an artist who has traveled to many memorable places.

Horse (Painting by artist Dang Mau Tuu). Photo: Provided by the artist.

Alongside some existential works based on human stories, wishes, and hopes, such as "The Prayer of the Poor on Christmas Night "; and profound philosophical reflections on existence and the workings of the universe like "The Five Elements ," there are also simple yet sacred expressions of emotion about the image of Mother in "The Warmth of Motherly Love" and "The Happiness of Romantic Love ."

In "Lands of Memories," we can find similarities in the cultural beauty of New Zealand and Vietnam. This is because Dang Mau Tuu successfully combines the imagery of Maori wooden statues from New Zealand with those of the ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, sharing the meaning of these statues as "...guardians of souls and protectors of deities. I see beauty in each way of thinking about humanity and the sacredness in each belief system, all of which bring peace of mind to the living."

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Every year in Hue, around Tet (Lunar New Year), at the artist's house near the Nhu Y River, he would often hold a solo exhibition about the zodiac animals as a spontaneous pastime. In the exhibition "Lands of Memories," Dang Mau Tuu also brought images of the seventh zodiac animal to New Zealand with two paintings, including "Gathering of the Flock ."

He explained that with "The Herd ," inspired by the proverb "When one horse is sick, the whole herd stops eating," he wanted to tell the story of horses and their extraordinary ability to unite, rely on each other, and maintain strong herd bonds.

In the new year of the Horse 2026, I pray that our nation will be "united, united, and united" to love and together form a great and happy Vietnam - as generations of our ancestors have nurtured, built, and hoped for in their descendants.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/dang-mau-tuu-nhung-mien-dat-nho-post580037.html