"Friends" reunited

Friends and colleagues of the artists visited the exhibition. Photo: HUYNH NHU

The exhibition is a reunion of five talented artists, who were friends in college. This is not only an opportunity for them to meet again, but also an opportunity for each of them to awaken the creative flame that seemed to have been dormant after many years...

The paintings in the exhibition space evoke old memories of a former art student, or the distant eyes of a friend who is no longer with him, the girls in their twenties gracefully in ao dai, shyly beside conical hats, water wharves, and boats... The exhibition is an opportunity for friends who are passionate about the art of colors and lines to tell their own stories.

Painter, Associate Professor, Doctor Nguyen Van Minh is a typical image of balance and development in art. During his time working at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts, he maintained the flame of creativity through traditional lacquer paintings. His lacquer works were initially like a peaceful song about the life of the Southern countryside. Later, still with eggshells, red lipstick, black then, gold, silver, but the way of expression had a new look.

Living in Soc Trang, a land rich in cultural traditions and the Khmer art heritage of the South, in the paintings of Artist Ho Van Hung, with bright, dazzling colors and contrasts in a unique visual language, viewers can easily see the deep penetration of the Khmer art heritage of the South. Each work is a story about the origin and cultural values, expressed through a personal artistic lens full of passion and enthusiasm.

Artist Ly Cao Tan with his unique artistic perspective is expressed in his iron pen graphic paintings. With his deep observation and diligent recording, his paintings are a treasure trove of authentic and vivid images, activities, and lifestyles of people in the Mekong Delta. The strokes are both concise and decisive, expressing strength and determination, while also having a spontaneous, rhythmic and free release, creating interesting emotions for the viewer.

For Painter Nguyen Tien Len, his paintings are surprisingly gentle, like someone who understands the meaning of life and sees everything calmly. He brings life into lacquer paintings with natural and genuine perspectives to the point that viewers can see themselves in the paintings.

Standing out with the strength in each brush stroke and the use of color, painting is an indispensable part of the life of Painter Phan Thai Hoang. The image of the house on stilts by the river, the green countryside, appears often in his paintings as a way for him to express his love for his homeland through his brushstrokes. In Phan Thai Hoang, artistic thinking is constantly moving and exploring . The flexible transition between reality and abstraction in his works is not limited to any framework but always explores and experiments with new ways of expression, bringing viewers a rich and interesting visual experience...

The "Friends" reunion is a meaningful artistic event, converging unique and diverse creative personalities. Each artist brings a distinct style, a different worldview, reflecting the experiences and artistic paths they have taken. Behind the independence in style is an invisible bond, with a burning passion, a spirit of endless creativity and deep emotions. This is an affirmation of the persistence of passion and the strength of friendship in an arduous but also glorious artistic journey.

The exhibition takes place from April 12-22, 2025, at Maii Art Space, 72/7 Tran Quoc Toan, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.

"Countryside space", author Phan Thai Hoang.