The magical and beautiful heritage of Northern communal houses under the lines of contemporary paintings

The work "Moon in Tay Dang Pavilion" is made of gold-plated wood and printed with UV coating by author Do Thanh.

36 contemporary artworks, themed after Vietnamese communal houses, will be displayed in the exhibition “Once upon a time 2: The story of the communal house - Tay Dang communal house,” taking place from September 25-29 at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum ( Hanoi ).

This is the second exhibition of paintings and sculptures, part of the project “Vietnamese Cultural Heritage through the perspective of Contemporary Artists” by the Heritage and Art (H&A) artist group. The event follows the success of the first exhibition “Once upon a time” on national treasures in Vietnam .

The 2025 exhibition displays a series of works by a group of 17 artists about Tay Dang communal house - one of the four famous communal houses in the North, guarding four directions: East has Hang Kenh communal house (Hai Phong), West has Tay Dang communal house (Hanoi), South has Hung Loc communal house (Ninh Binh - old Nam Dinh ) and North has Bang communal house (Bac Ninh).

36 works with a contemporary feel, including genres of painting, sculpture, graphics... and materials such as: Lacquer, oil, silk, ceramics, wood carving, composite... The visual style is influenced by beliefs, architecture, carvings, round statues, cultural stories of Tay Dang communal house and customs and practices of the local people.

"The Village Communal House Story" 02 size 100x150cm, oil on canvas by author Nguyen Minh (Minh Pho).

With the message: "Inheriting, preserving, developing and spreading Vietnamese cultural heritage is to show respect for the past - towards the future", H&A group hopes to accompany more artists, organizations and individuals, so that Vietnamese cultural values in general and the cultural values of Communal Houses in particular will always be continued, always nurtured and enriched.

Artist Luong Xuan Doan - Chairman of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association commented that the new young people, from the 7X to 9X generation, "do not hide behind but confidently inherit to make a difference the old treasures passed down by their predecessors and previous generations."

“The flow has been smooth and smooth since ancient times, never stopping. The national cultural heritage is like a thousand-year-old root that is always tight and then opens its heart, gently awakening and giving freely to anyone who has the chance and the career,” shared the Chairman of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association.

"Summer Feelings" watercolor on silk, by Vu Thuy Mai.

Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son - Member of the National Assembly 's Committee on Culture and Society commented that the project "Vietnamese Cultural Heritage through the perspective of Contemporary Artists" helps spread the love of heritage to the community, especially the young people, who will follow in the footsteps to preserve and enrich the national identity.

“Each work is not only an individual creation but also a piece of community memory, a tribute to our ancestors and a message to future generations: 'Inheriting, preserving, developing and spreading Vietnamese cultural heritage is a demonstration of respect for the past - looking towards the future.'”

Some other notable works: