I was fortunate to know sculptor Tran Viet Hung and the Saigon Sculpture Group (with renowned sculptors such as Bui Hai Son, Hoang Tuong Minh, Phan Phuong, Vinh Do, etc.) when they worked together in a workshop in the Go Vap flower village. After many years, the workshop moved to Hiep Binh Chanh (now Hiep Binh), Thu Duc, but the same faces remained, bound together like brothers. However, their artistic paths were independent, each person making their own "scratches" along their journey.
Tran Viet Hung was born in 1968 in Hanoi , but his ancestral home is in My Tho, Tien Giang province. He speaks with a Northern accent, but his Southern character is distinctly Vietnamese. I still remember Tran Viet Hung sculpting a portrait of the writer Son Nam with a pensive face, shaped like a mangrove root. Tran Viet Hung's style evokes the image of the French sculptor Rodin – who did not hesitate to break academic conventions. His works are not decorative, but lean towards realism, "molded" by emotion, struggling with materials and techniques to find the personality, spirit, and unique characteristics of the character. That is, the sculptor dares to… make the work ugly, if necessary. But that "ugliness" is precisely the truth, and also the beauty.
Some of the works in the exhibition.
PHOTO: TGCC
While in the "Reflection 1" exhibition, Tran Viet Hung primarily used soft stone as his medium, in "Reflection 2 ," the main material is copper.
"Observe nature, people, and life to imbue your work with a soul, a persona, a unique life. A falling leaf, a raindrop, or a favorite melody can all become a work of art…" Tran Viet Hung revealed.
Some of the works in the exhibition.
PHOTO: TGCC
Thus, it can be seen that Tran Viet Hung deliberately chooses subjects that are… very easy. However, to create something as easy and familiar as a falling leaf or a raindrop, the sculptor has made things difficult for himself, enduring hardship and toil to create something ethereal. That is the essence of sculpture. Here, Tran Viet Hung has proven himself to be a "stubborn" artist, never backing down from his feelings about beauty.
Some of the works in the exhibition.
PHOTO: TGCC
A distinctive feature, and perhaps a step forward in Tran Viet Hung's creativity, is the creation of a dynamic space for each artwork. This space is not external, where the artwork is placed, but rather possesses an intrinsic meaning, originating from within. Perhaps, after many years in the profession, Tran Viet Hung himself has come to understand the importance of finding space for his sculptures. Therefore, this space is essentially a point of connection between the viewer's emotions and the artwork.
Having solved that spatial problem, Tran Viet Hung finds peace in his small narratives. Without grand pronouncements or loud pronouncements, each work is like a small poem, recording the author's emotions and reflections on life and the world.
The exhibition " Reflections 2 - Tran Viet Hung" will open at 6 PM on March 30th and run until April 6th at 218A Pasteur Street, Xuan Hoa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ngam-cung-tran-viet-hung-18526032610491849.htm
Comment (0)