Remembering the talented Trinh Tu

Painter Trinh Tu - Photo: Trinh Tu's Facebook

Trinh Tu draws and writes

The book includes Trinh Tu's articles collected and selected by Gallery39 and the artist's family from hundreds of his articles published in newspapers from 1997 until before his death, most of which were printed in Lao Dong and Lao Dong Cuoi Tuan newspapers.

These are "not dry" articles about painting, photography, and portraits of some artists. In addition, the book also has an appendix, printing some of his portraits of friends, mainly in oil, and a few sketches in pastel, charcoal...

Talking about the artist Trinh Tu writing criticism, artist Le Thiet Cuong - representative of the book publishing unit, also a friend and close brother of Trinh Tu - wrote:

"Still criticism and theory but not dry, he always puts people and art together. Not to mention, the writer Trinh Tu is also a painter, which is different from someone who writes about paintings but does not paint.

Besides the story about an artist, an exhibition or a painting movement, there are always behind-the-scenes stories, stories "on the back of the canvas", on the sidelines of the painting that only insiders can see.

Remembering a talented and kind Trinh Tu

Trinh Tu was born into a famous intellectual family in Hanoi before 1954. His father was the Indochina Fine Arts painter Trinh Huu Ngoc, owner of the famous Memo furniture factory before 1954, who was called by Uncle Ho as the Monet of Vietnam.

His mother, Nguyen Thi Khang, was the first person in Vietnam to open a Montessori kindergarten. She was one of the most outstanding girl guides in Vietnam.

Being very interested in cultural and artistic education for his children, Trinh Tu's sisters are all piano performers. Among them is Mrs. Trinh Thi Nhan, who was mentioned in Phan Vu's poem "the sound of the piano in the ruined house".

Trinh Tu's brother is painter, translator, and author Trinh Lu.

Trinh Tu dropped out of the University of Fine Arts. While his studies were still in progress, Professor, Doctor Ton That Tung - a close friend of painter Trinh Huu Ngoc - took Trinh Tu on as an assistant, illustrating his book on liver anatomy.

Later, he spent 20 years working at Lao Dong newspaper, in charge of writing art criticism and drawing illustrations and caricatures for the newspaper. His articles showed a wealth of knowledge and culture, yet were poetic and careful in their writing.

Artist Trinh Tu's book with shapes and colors - Photo: GalerryG39

The book launch event will be held at 10am on June 28 at the art room of the Writers Association Publishing House (65 Nguyen Du, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi).

Also on display are nearly 30 works, including paintings by artist Trinh Tu and paintings by several artists that Trinh Tu criticized in this book. The exhibition lasts until July 5.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nho-nguoi-tai-hoa-trinh-tu-20240625093909338.htm