Young artist Bui Tien and her passion for silk painting.

On the exhibition poster, I read the words of artist Bui Tien (born in 1993 in Tuy An, Dak Lak): “There are moments of profound silence when ‘the truth’ doesn’t crumble, it only tilts slightly. That tilt is enough for me to see that beneath it lies another layer, more fragile and elusive. I’m not afraid of that fragility. On the contrary, I believe it makes everything come alive…”

Indeed, as the artist herself said, what unfolded before my senses were silk paintings showcasing a blend of traditional techniques intertwined with modern artistic thinking. “I asked myself: What is real? But I wasn’t searching for an answer. I just wanted to be honest with the feeling when what I believe begins to stir.” Young artist Bui Tien said this at her solo exhibition titled “What is Real?” currently taking place at TomuraLee Gallery in An Khanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.

Artist Bui Tien.

All the works displayed at this exhibition originated from Bui Tien's 2014 graduation project at Hue University of Fine Arts. Guided by her teacher, Le Viet Trung, a lecturer at Hue University of Arts, she initially completed the project using oil paint. Over time, the artist gradually refined her technique and ideas, and clearly defined her approach to silk painting. In 2023, encouraged by her teacher, Bui Tien "emerged into the spotlight" through the artist recruitment program of TomuraLee Gallery, an international contemporary art gallery system. There, the young artist received her first audience appreciation with her debut solo exhibition titled "Private Realm." The collection skillfully combines traditional cultural identity with personal messages expressed through unique images that reflect the artist's strong personality. “Private Realm” is a subtle arrangement where the world of memory and the world of fantasy coexist within a single frame, alongside the artist's ordinary life. Following this three years later is the exhibition “What Is Real?”…

The collection utilizes four different types of silk. The artist's vision is expressed depending on the roughness and smoothness of the fabric. "To evoke memories, I use rough fabric and wash it multiple times, causing the colors to fade, suggesting a sense of wear and tear. Or, when I want to create detail, I choose a smoother fabric and wash it less often."

Artist Bui Tien

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“While admiring the exhibited works, I feel a sense of familiarity; at the same time, it inevitably sparks reflection on the ‘unusual’ elements you’ve conveyed. What message does Bui Tien want to send with this series of paintings?” I asked. Bui Tien replied: “Inheriting from the exhibition ‘Private Realm,’ the exhibition ‘What Is Real’ is created with deeper layers of thought. When the line between reality and illusion gradually blurs, can we still be certain about what we see? Through ‘What Is Real,’ I continue to convey a new message within the same familiar form. Both collections depict the soft, gentle images of Vietnamese women. They are not strangers; they are my grandmother, my mother, my sister, my daughter…”

Using watercolors on silk, Bui Tien creates serene portraits where emotions are woven from memory, imagination, and reality. Instead of dramatic display, the artist chooses subtlety: soft color palettes, tight compositions, and moments of introspective silence. On traditional silk, the female artist opens up a contemporary visual language, both fragile and haunting, making the works spaces for contemplation. Through the exhibition, the artist raises questions about identity, loneliness, and the blurred boundaries between what is seen and what is felt…

An artwork displayed at the exhibition.

For this exhibition, Bui Tien spent nearly eight years completing the entire project. The artist shared: “Silk painting is often pursued by few because of the demanding control required from the artist. The degree of color blending depends heavily on the material and the artist's calculation of the amount of color. Unlike oil or watercolor, each silk painting has no possibility of correction; you can only choose to repaint from scratch or accept the mistake. Each wash creates unexpected variables. Therefore, sometimes these 'unexpected elements' create the beauty of the artwork.”

Further conversation with artist Bui Tien revealed that in 2026, she received much positive feedback for participating in the Tokyo Art Fair – one of the largest and oldest contemporary art fairs in Asia, bringing together leading galleries from Japan and internationally. Bui Tien is the first Vietnamese artist to participate in this art fair. Prior to that, in 2025, her works were also showcased in major art spaces such as Rome (Italy) and London (England). For the young artist Bui Tien, this is not only a source of pride but also a great motivation to pursue her artistic path.

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Source: https://baodaklak.vn/van-hoa-xa-hoi/van-hoa/202606/hoa-si-tre-bui-tienva-niem-dam-me-tranh-lua-0db752f/