As soon as the news of painter Le Thiet Cuong’s death due to a serious illness was announced, the art community expressed their deepest condolences. His passing leaves a huge void in the contemporary art scene, as he was a talented person in many fields, and a friend and a beloved teacher to many people.
A talent that cannot be mistaken for anyone else
A few days before his death, on his personal page, artist Le Thiet Cuong posted a photo of his Zen-inspired sculpture, along with a verse from the poem "Huu Khong" (Existence-Non-Existence) by Zen Master Tu Dao Hanh, Ly Dynasty: "If there is, there is from the slightest bit/ If there is not, then the whole world is not."
Simple, wordless, yet filled with so much thought. It is easy to understand why Le Thiet Cuong sympathized with those two lines of poetry. He spent his whole life pursuing minimalist aesthetics.
He once made an artistic statement that artists and Buddhist monks have one thing in common: Becoming a monk is to return to oneself, being an artist is to find oneself. That is what art is. When you find your fingerprints, you have art. When you find your heart, you have art. All the masters of art in the world are people who have found their fingerprints.
Le Thiet Cuong himself admitted that he can do nothing but minimalism whether it is painting, sculpture, pottery or graphic design: “Minimalism is me, I am minimalism. Minimalism is my ‘essential personality’, my DNA, my fingerprint, each person belongs to that person, my identity.”
Theoretical critic Ly Doi believes that Le Thiet Cuong’s paintings/ceramics consistently pursue minimalism, meaning that although “very little,” they tell a lot of stories or philosophize. The techniques are minimalist, but the spirit is not. But there are also many paintings/ceramics, many things he does that are “a lot,” sometimes elaborate and splendid, but convey minimalism.
“Perhaps it is these two directions that have kept Le Thiet Cuong as an artist, rather than reaching for the spirit of a monk. That is why he has produced good works throughout his exciting creative journey from the early 1990s until now,” said Mr. Ly Doi.
According to critic Ly Doi, Le Thiet Cuong was both talented and practical, both arrogant and approachable, both liked heroes and knew how to live alone, both harsh and indulgent...
Recently, when artist Le Thiet Cuong launched his theoretical criticism book “Talking with Painting,” poet Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers Association , commented: “Le Thiet Cuong reads a lot and has a deep understanding. He writes short criticisms but points out key issues. His writing still follows the minimalist, concise and profound school.”
Mr. Thieu assessed that painter Le Thiet Cuong was strict in his evaluation, artistic creation and strict with himself.
Sadly recalling the moment he visited the artist in the hospital, poet Nguyen Quang Thieu said: “Finally, Cuong was able to return home, where Cuong had lived his most beautiful, most creative, happiest and also most painful years, where his most sincere friends were by his side, where Cuong showed himself without hiding anything: wise, talented, passionate, arrogant, kind, crazy, weak…”
Hanoi without Le Thiet Cuong
Through my interactions with artist Le Thiet Cuong, I realized that he was a talented and arrogant person. He frankly told me to keep asking questions, but he would not answer what he did not know, and if the question was not good, he would not answer either.
Le Thiet Cuong affirmed that he spent his whole life loving beauty and respecting talented people. Perhaps that is why he received the respect of many artists and art lovers.
Journalist and media expert Nguyen Quynh Huong believes that talent is what makes others admire, but only kindness can earn love and respect. Artist Le Thiet Cuong received all of that. His friends from far and wide returned to the hospital and his home to say goodbye to Le Thiet Cuong.
“Hanoi will be very deserted, the spirit of Hanoi - for those who love literature, music, painting, the old quarter, street gifts, people and houses - will be lost more or less after this 'irreversible' journey of yours,” said journalist Nguyen Quynh Huong.
A long-time close friend of painter Le Thiet Cuong, writer Do Bich Thuy, also choked up when mentioning him: “He is a person who loves life, thirsts for life. Living with him means working, working with him is happiness. He takes advantage of every moment to live.”
Writer Do Bich Thuy pondered when mentioning the book that artist Le Thiet Cuong was fond of but had not yet published - "In a grain of rice there is a grain of rice."
“No one can replace him in picking up the rare essence of thoughts, emotions, and knowledge that he has accumulated throughout his life to continue writing other valuable books. That priceless treasure of knowledge has followed him,” writer Do Bich Thuy shared.
Among the close juniors of painter Le Thiet Cuong is Miss Ngoc Han. In recent years, she often appeared at the artistic events of painter Le Thiet Cuong as a program host. From admiring a serious talent, Miss Ngoc Han became a younger sister, a close student of the painter.
The first time Ngoc Han worked with artist Le Thiet Cuong was about 3 years ago, at the painting exhibition “Meeting Dalat” at Le Lycée Gallery, Dalat. Ngoc Han’s first impression was that Mr. Cuong was very strict and difficult. During the cooperation, Ngoc Han was harshly criticized many times.
“He even scolded us directly, saying that we were ‘wearing shirts that were too big for us’, implying our immaturity and lack of experience in organizing exhibitions,” Ngoc Han said.
This made Ngoc Han and her colleagues decide not to cooperate with the artist anymore, but Ngoc Han still persisted in pursuing the field of fine arts. Artist Le Thiet Cuong recognized that effort and they gradually became closer. Ngoc Han received many valuable advices from artist Le Thiet Cuong during her Master's degree at the University of Industrial Fine Arts.
Sharing with reporters from VietnamPlus, Ngoc Han confessed that she used to think that artist Le Thiet Cuong's style was so simple that anyone could draw it. However, the more she understood about the artist's creative process, the more she realized that minimalism is not simple at all.
“He is a man of few words, but each word is profound. His paintings are the same: restrained and neat, but always containing layers of meaning, which are not what they seem. A seemingly indifferent stroke of the brush can evoke very strong emotions,” Ngoc Han commented.
Not only learning about fine arts, Ngoc Han also learned life philosophies from painter Le Thiet Cuong.
“He once told me: 'Success means nothing if you don't have anyone by your side at the end of your life.' No matter how successful you are, family is still above all, the most important thing. Those things are profound lessons about life values that I will always remember,” Ngoc Han emotionally shared.
When artist Le Thiet Cuong left this world, many friends and relatives were by his side. Many others sent their condolences to him. Although it was not long, the artist lived a full life worth living./.
Painter Le Thiet Cuong was born on August 13, 1962 and passed away at 6:55 p.m. on July 17 at his home, at the age of 64.
Visitation: From 9:30 to 11:00 on July 21 at the National Funeral Home, 5 Tran Thanh Tong, Hanoi.
Funeral and procession: From 11:00 to 11:30 the same day.
Burial: 4:00 p.m. July 21 at Lac Hong Vien Cemetery, Ky Son, Hoa Binh.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/hoa-sy-le-thiet-cuong-di-san-khong-lo-cua-nguoi-theo-duoi-phong-cach-toi-gian-post1050369.vnp
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