Painter Do Chung and the woman from the sun

Hoạ sĩ Đỗ Chung - Ảnh 1. — Artist Do Chung next to a large abstract painting 2 x 5m painted in 6 hours - Photo: H.VY

The exhibition The Woman from the Sun, recently displayed at the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association, impressed both the artist with his work and the incredible creativity of the nearly 80-year-old artist. He painted the entire picture in just 10 days.

When asked about artist Do Chung, which exhibition is this in his series of exhibitions about "Woman..."? The artist said he couldn't remember. He just kept painting with his tireless love for art, to live and continue to speak up for women - the creative inspiration that has run through his entire life.

Painter Do Chung paints to live

At 78 years old, painter Do Chung is weaker after many years of fighting illness, but each time he starts a new series of paintings, he seems to enter a different state.

Still thin and quiet, he can stand and paint tirelessly without eating or resting from night to morning, forgetting about his illness and forgetting about time.

In just 10 days, he completed 40 large-scale oil paintings, choosing 37 to display. Among them were two 2 x 5m paintings that he painted for 6 hours from 2am to 8am because the night was cool and the colors were more beautiful.

Hoạ sĩ Đỗ Chung - Ảnh 2. — Artist Do Chung's painting style is "one shot, one shot, one shot", no editing, and must be painted extremely quickly while the paint is still wet, because once the oil paint dries, it's all ruined.

Still oil paintings, still abstract, but this series of paintings brings many new emotions, "brighter", more youthful. The paintings are less abstract and more "figurative", but the multi-layered depths of space they evoke are even deeper.

Painter Do Chung did not have a studio, he could paint anywhere. For him, painting was a habit, a way for him to breathe, live and diligently go through the last months of his life like a silkworm spinning out all its silk.

He paints like a meditation with a brush, paints to forget his illness and will continue until he no longer has the strength to paint.

Hoạ sĩ Đỗ Chung - Ảnh 3. — Do Chung's paintings make viewers both immersed in the subtle details and overwhelmed by the artist's boundless universe - Photo: H.VY

For decades holding a brush, women have always been an endless inspiration for Do Chung. This time, that woman still looks towards the sun, like a silent yet enduring symbol, fragile yet fierce, resiliently overcoming difficulties to reach her own aspirations.

" The world still does not respect women. If you look closely at their lives, you will see that they suffer a lot. Their voices are not cared for. I want to liberate them, put them in the right position as "half of the world" - equal and not inferior to men" - painter Do Chung affirmed.

He did not paint to depict women but to speak for their feelings. To let viewers face and feel through their own experiences through light, composition, and color blocks.

Hoạ sĩ Đỗ Chung - Ảnh 4. — Quietly contemplate and feel 'The Woman from the Sun' - Photo: H.VY

A journey that never ends

Professor, Sculptor Nguyen Xuan Tien, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association, once commented that despite his old age, Do Chung's paintings are always very young, a trend of modern art.

According to artist Nguyen Duy Nhut, this is the most special exhibition of artist Do Chung, not showing off techniques but delving into the inner self like a form of meditation, where each painting opens up many dimensions, both abstract and surreal.

This series of paintings is brighter and younger, just like the artist's spirit recently, no longer gloomy and heavy, but light, positive and peaceful.

Some paintings can make young artists surprised, hard to believe that they are by an artist nearly 80 years old. He has reached a stage where he no longer has technique but power, not "maturity" but mastery.

His talent is on wet oil paint, he uses a brush to draw large strokes but creates very smooth and delicate shapes. Some paintings are worthy of being masterpieces.

Hoạ sĩ Đỗ Chung - Ảnh 5. — Large abstract painting 2 x 5 meters is well-received for its ideas, beautiful colors, rich compositional style, and direct beauty that is difficult to fully describe, you can only come and feel it - Photo: H.VY

This exhibition space at the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association was also evaluated by Do Chung and his colleagues as much better than previous times at the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum.

Support from the Fine Arts Association provides a gallery with adequate lighting, properly hung paintings, reasonable arrangements, and a suitable space for viewers to quietly converse with the paintings.

The audience here is also more "standard" because they are really people who come for the paintings, not for the event. In particular, Do Chung is happy because there are many young people who come and look at the paintings very carefully.

Hoạ sĩ Đỗ Chung - Ảnh 6. — The young couple spent the whole morning looking at paintings and asking to take pictures with artist Do Chung - Photo: H.VY

Artist Luong Xuan Doan likened Do Chung's paintings to "a wandering of the mind that is difficult to stop, where a metaphysical woman is still searching to reach the sun" and "Do Chung is still simple but gentle with eyes and lips smiling as if by heaven. The long road of artistic creation is hard to stop tired footsteps...".

No one dares to say anything for sure. Painter Do Chung also just said softly: "I will try to paint one more time, in Saigon, at the end of the year or early next year. I also miss Saigon very much".