Artist Le Thu and her journey of celebrating beauty from everyday life.

In his art, painter Le Thu chooses a quiet path, remaining faithful to realism, direct painting, and oil paint as his medium to explore, preserve, and celebrate the beauty of everyday life. From the streets of Hanoi, the warm kitchens of winter, to the highland villages of the north, his paintings seem to distill light, memories, and emotions.

An excerpt from the oil painting "A Springtime Story" by artist Le Thu.

The works of artist Le Thu may not immediately create a visual spectacle, but they are powerful enough to hold viewers' attention, allowing them to leisurely appreciate the warmth, serenity, and emotional depth hidden within seemingly ordinary things.

Born in 1986 in Hanoi , Le Thu grew up in the suburban area where the Red River and the Ca Lo River meet. His living environment, a blend of rural and urban life, left a deep impression on his aesthetic sensibilities. It's a realm of memories: alluvial plains, cornfields, narrow alleyways, old tiled roofs, a slow pace of life, and strong community bonds. Perhaps it was this foundation that, from a very young age, shaped his introverted nature and sensitivity to the subtle changes in human life.

Artist Le Thu with children from the mountainous region.

Graduating from the Vietnam Fine Arts University in 2012, Le Thu initially planned to become an art teacher. His initial desire was to teach in the classroom and inspire the younger generation with artistic talent. However, after several years working as a graphic designer – a stable job with a good income – he realized that this path was still insufficient to satisfy the inner expressive needs of an artist. Computers and software, while convenient, could not replace the feeling of directly encountering the scenery, light, and atmosphere.

The decision to dedicate himself entirely to painting wasn't a spontaneous turning point, but rather the result of a prolonged process of self-reflection. For Le Thu, it wasn't simply abandoning the old to find the new, but rather a "return" to his deepest creative instincts. He picked up his paintbrush again, set up his easel outdoors, and began his persistent journey of direct painting after 2019.

Oil painting "Warm Day".

Since that time, artist Le Thu has regularly appeared at prestigious art exhibitions in Vietnam: the Hanoi Fine Arts Exhibition, the Regional Fine Arts Exhibition, the National Fine Arts Exhibition... along with many group art activities. At each exhibition, his paintings are able to create a tranquil space for viewers to pause, observe, and reflect.

Artist Le Thu succinctly expresses his artistic philosophy: "Everything has no beginning and no end; exploring the events of everyday life is also a quest for the boundless and infinite." This perspective also clearly reflects his artistic worldview , showing that greatness lies not in grandiose subjects but in the very small movements of life.

Oil painting "Winter Sunshine".

Le Thu carries his easel everywhere. He sits in the middle of a highland village, by an old window, in a warm kitchen corner, or on a street corner in Hanoi to directly capture the light and atmosphere. For him, live painting is both a method and a state of being with time, scenery, and the rhythm of space.

Therefore, Le Thu's paintings don't feel like a mere copy of reality, but rather evoke a sense of presence. Viewers can feel the early morning in Lung Cu or the afternoon in Hanoi's Old Quarter, or even the quiet moment in a winter kitchen in northern Vietnam. The light in his paintings creates a spiritual space where emotions are distilled from everyday life.

Oil painting "A New Day in Tam Diep".

Representative works such as "Outside the Window in the Sunlight" (2024), "Warm Corner" (2025), "Warm Kitchen" (2024)... clearly demonstrate this characteristic. In these works, sunlight streaming through the curtains, lilies in a vase on a wooden table, or the fire in the wood-burning stove... become the emotional center of the painting. The artist's brushstrokes are restrained but subtle enough to depict the "subtle" movement of light and air.

Oil paint, with its colorfastness and ability to express rich shades, has become a medium that Le Thu has long been associated with. In "Sunny Day" (2020), he painted a corner of Hang Khoai street, a yellow wall, tree shadows, power lines, and a street vendor's cart.

Oil painting "Spring Day".

Everyday details are handled with a slow rhythm, creating a space that is both realistic and poetic. In "Old Village" (2022), moss-covered tiled roofs and glimpses of people behind the gate evoke a sense of nostalgia.

Le Thu's creative space is not limited. He spends a lot of time in the northern mountainous region, documenting life on the rocky plateau. Works such as "A Day in Then Pa" (2025), "The Warmth of Lung Cu" (2024), and "Meeting Spring" (2020) open up a space that is both majestic and intimate. The blue mountains, the silhouettes of the Hmong people in the afternoon light, the steaming rice pot in the stone kitchen... appear with heartfelt affection, respect, and gratitude.

Oil painting "A Full Meal".

Looking back on her career, it's clear that artist Le Thu remains faithful to familiar themes: rural villages, old towns, kitchens, traditional houses, highland landscapes, and everyday still life. These themes aren't new, but they're never outdated either. Each painting is a rediscovery of life through light, rhythm, and multi-sensory perception.

Notably, despite exploring seemingly humble themes, Le Thu avoids repetition. He refuses to redraw old images, instead offering new perspectives, new moments, and new emotions. This persistent exploration has gradually helped him develop a distinctive style: simple, introspective, yet deeply moving.

Oil painting "Season of Unusual Flowers".

He is also one of the few young artists actively involved in fundraising activities through art auctions. He participates in programs such as "Sowing Seeds, Harvesting Homes," and "Down the Autumn River," supporting the community in the former Me Linh district – where he lives and works. These warm, quiet activities demonstrate the artist's responsibility to society, always wishing for their art to be useful and spread its influence.

In her personal reflections, Le Thu expressed her desire to delve deeper into her inner world, exploring themes connected to personal memories: her childhood home, the faces of loved ones, the backyard garden each morning, a simple meal on a rainy night. In this context, painting ceases to be merely a means of external observation and becomes a way of engaging in dialogue with the human psyche.

Oil painting "After the Afternoon Rain".

Viewed from the perspective of art history and theory, Le Thu's creative journey can be placed within the continuity of the Vietnamese realist painting tradition, but with an emotional configuration and visual language bearing the mark of contemporary art.

His unwavering commitment to direct oil painting in the context of increasingly dominant multimedia art partly reflects his aesthetic stance, demonstrating his awareness of preserving the "essence" of painting before it is dissolved by performance and market speed. In this respect, Le Thu is not opposed to the new; on the contrary, he proactively positions himself within a vibrant traditional foundation, allowing reality to open up a process of perception and reconstruction through emotion.

Oil painting "Under the Spring Arch".

From a visual language perspective, Le Thu's paintings demonstrate a stable visual structure based on three pillars: light, atmosphere, and brushstroke rhythm. Light is used by the artist to create a sense of spiritual space; atmosphere connects the forms, allowing the painting to transcend mere description; and the restrained brushstroke creates a slow visual rhythm, contrasting with the hurried pace of life. These three elements combine to create a form of emotional realism, elevating everyday images into a profound aesthetic structure.

Artist Le Thu (on the left) chatting with visitors.

From an artistic and philosophical perspective, the artist's approach to exploring the vicissitudes of daily life in search of the boundless shows that he views creation as a process of contemplation. This spirit brings him closer to Eastern aesthetics, where the small contain infinite value and the act of creation can be meditative.

With a regular exhibition system, consistent style, clear creative philosophy, and a focus on exploring inner space, it can be said that Le Thu is currently in a stage of clearly defining her personal aesthetic journey.

The artist's works, which celebrate everyday life, are contributing to reaffirming the role of art as a space of contemplation, allowing people to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the fundamental values ​​of life.

THUY PHUONG

Source: https://nhandan.vn/hoa-si-le-thu-va-hanh-trinh-ton-vinh-ve-dep-tu-doi-song-thuong-nhat-post938016.html