Hanoi: The Spring Colors of the Year of the Horse in Ceramic Art

On the afternoon of February 1st, at the Fine Arts Exhibition House (16 Ngo Quyen, Hanoi ), the Art Ceramics Club (Vietnam Fine Arts Association) inaugurated the ceramics exhibition "Springtime 2026," introducing to the public in Hanoi the latest creations of the artists in the club.

The exhibition showcases nearly 100 unique ceramic works by more than 40 artists, demonstrating diverse experiments in sculptural forms on earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain. The works showcase a seamless blend of sculpture, painting, and graphic art, along with boundless creativity through various techniques: incised carving, relief sculpting, brush painting, glaze application, glaze spraying, vase and jar shaping, sculpture, etc., blurring the boundaries of purely artistic forms.

Using only clay, fire, and glaze mixed by the artist himself, many novel visual effects are achieved, while still clearly demonstrating respect for and preservation of the traditional appearance of Vietnamese pottery.

Experiments in the works of sculptors Nguyen Kim Xuan, Do Ba Quang, Pham Quoc Anh, Nguyen Thang Long, and painters Nguyen Thu Thuy, Hoang Thanh Nhu, Hoang Thanh Giao, Vu The Kim, Nguyen Thi Hai Yen… initially show a clear transformation, creating a distinct mark compared to previous years.

A corner of the exhibition space. (Photo: Phuong Thanh/VNA)

Participating in the exhibition, artist Nguyen Manh Tham presented two sets of works, including a set of vases and a set of plates, along with a single artwork. His creations revolve around three main themes: spring, memories, and welcoming the new year.

According to the artist, the exhibition, taking place during the preparations for the traditional Lunar New Year, is also a time for club members to reflect on their creative journey and summarize their artistic activities for the year, with a joyful spirit as they conclude the old year.

Staying true to folk art forms, Nguyen Manh Tham draws on past memories and glimpses into the simple lives of Vietnamese people, especially the rural village setting, as a way of recounting and preserving traditional cultural stories through the language of pottery.

According to artist Nguyen Thu Thuy, "Springtime" is an annual exhibition of the Art Ceramics Club, held regularly every spring. This year's exhibition takes place in the atmosphere of welcoming the Year of the Horse, so many works choose the image of the horse as a symbol of spring greetings, conveying wishes for a new year full of energy and creativity. Club members hope that each spring will bring new works, clearly demonstrating the movement and development in their thinking and visual language.

Looking back on the past six years of activity, artist Nguyen Thu Thuy believes that the ceramic artists in the Club have had the opportunity to delve deeper into the Bat Trang glaze material.

This year, in particular, the support and guidance of traditional village artisans helped artists grasp basic glaze mixing techniques, thereby giving them more autonomy in their creative work. Instead of just using traditional glazes, many artists boldly experimented and explored new types of glazes, creating noteworthy highlights for the exhibition.

Dr. Ho Nam, Chairman of the Applied Fine Arts Council of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, assessed that "Springtime Charm" is one of the large-scale ceramics exhibitions organized at the beginning of spring.

The exhibition not only acknowledges the individual efforts of each artist but also opens up expectations for the formation of distinctive glaze color palettes and more distinctly personal artistic languages in the future, contributing to affirming the creative identity of Vietnamese ceramics.

The exhibition is open until February 9, 2026.

(VNA/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/ha-noi-sac-xuan-binh-ngo-trong-nghe-thuat-gom-post1091818.vnp