Portraying a deep blue

Painter Nguyen Bao Chau (middle) with artists from Da Lat at the exhibition

The exhibition introduces to the public 35 oil and gouache paintings, selected from hundreds of works by artist Nguyen Bao Chau created in the two regions of Da Lat and Buon Ma Thuot; of which, 25 works were created in Da Lat.

Painter Nguyen Bao Chau (1944) was born in the countryside of Bac Ninh - Kinh Bac. From a young age, he showed his talent and passion for painting. After graduating, in 1969, he worked at the Ninh Binh Department of Culture; in 1974, he transferred to the Ha Bac Department of Culture and Information; in 1983, he transferred to the Central Highlands, teaching at the Dak Lak School of Culture and Arts; in 1992, he went to Da Lat, taught at the Lam Dong Children's House, and trained for university entrance exams in fine arts, architecture, and industrial arts at home.

Public visiting the exhibition

On that journey, painting has always been his passion. Especially, during the more than 40 years of living and working in Buon Ma Thuot ( Dak Lak province) and Da Lat (Lam Dong province), his love for the land and people urged him to hold a brush and create hundreds of paintings about these two lands. "Two halves of the plateau" have become an inexhaustible source of creative inspiration for him. His works are mostly landscape paintings, depicting natural scenery, architecture, and people. In that vast landscape, in that endless space, people are always fragile and small. Sometimes they are just dotted lines: the ethnic minorities of the Central Highlands practice sedentary farming, sometimes they are people walking around Xuan Huong Lake, walking on the vast green grass, sometimes they are people beside the flowing stream with waterfalls, rapids...

The works of artist Nguyen Bao Chau depict a deep green area, of sky, water, mountains, hills, and forests. The immense green of the highlands is ingrained in the subconscious, entering his paintings as a dominant, unchanging color. Looking at his paintings, the song "The Central Highlands sky is blue, the lake is blue, the water is blue, the Truong Son mountain range is blue, the trees are green..." echoes with every stroke. On that deep green background, there are always faint images of villas and architectural works such as: The bell tower of Da Lat College, Da Lat Railway Station of the past and the legendary train, Da Lat Cathedral, Provincial Governor's Palace, Ruins... as if decorating the green space. Many works bring relaxation, leisurely, and quiet to the viewer because of the evocative scenery: Early morning by Xuan Huong Lake, In the villa garden, Da Lat Lang Biang, City of fog, Ancient villa on Huynh Thuc Khang street - Da Lat, Afternoon rain in Da Lat, Sunset in Da Lat Cadasa Resort, Peaceful morning...

Dalat - Lang Biang work

Most notably, in the two works “Yersin explores the Central Highlands” and “Yersin discovers the Lang Biang plateau”, artist Nguyen Bao Chau said he had to read, painstakingly study, research documents, relive and immerse himself in the context and space to empathize and compose. There, he painted a group of people and horses led by Dr. A. Yersin and his entourage taking their first steps onto the deep green plateau, amidst the vastness of trees, mountains and hills. In addition, the image of Dak Lak and his love for this place were also put into each brushstroke through his works: Kônia Tree, Return to the Old Place, Ban Me Intersection, Dak Lak Rubber Forest…

Work Doctor A. Yersin discovered Lang Biang plateau

Although he has never held his own exhibition, painter Nguyen Bao Chau is known to the art-loving public because his works have won many prizes in art competitions, and have been selected for national art exhibitions and many regional painting exhibitions. Devoting much to the career of educating people, painter Nguyen Bao Chau has also left his mark by training many generations of successful students. Up to now, some of his students have stayed on to teach at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts or studied abroad, many of whom have become good architects and designers.

At the age of 81, this is his first solo exhibition. He wants to express his love for the two highlands he has been associated with, especially the flower city of Da Lat. Through that, he wants to send a message to everyone: "Let's cherish and love nature". The exhibition will run until the end of August 2025.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/202506/khac-hoa-mot-mien-xanh-tham-3c53a94/