The story of each portrait

Entering the exhibition, viewers were captivated by the diversity of portraits of women with deep gazes, young girls full of vitality, innocent children and simple ethnic minorities in the mountains. Each portrait carries its own story, creating an attractive display space for viewers. The atmosphere of the exhibition became even more special when some prototypes appeared next to their own portraits. Through that, the audience understood more clearly the inspiration that artist Nguyen Thu Ha conveyed in each brushstroke.

One moment that attracted a lot of attention was when singer Pham Thu Ha, the “semi-classical nightingale” stood in front of the work “Song of Light” of which she was the prototype. When the piano sounded, the female singer sang the song “Nightingale” by Alexander Aleksandrovich Alyabyev, the song associated with the image of a bird, which is also a detail appearing in her own portrait. The whole room quieted down, the person and the painting seemed to blend together in the same moment.

Singer Pham Thu Ha shared: “Ms. Nguyen Thu Ha and I have a common artistic connection. I feel that she has devoted all her love and passion to this exhibition. I sing the song “Nightingale” as a way to thank her, the artist who inspired me with emotional inspiration through the painting “Song of Light”.

Painter Nguyen Thu Ha (left) and singer Pham Thu Ha (right) next to the work "Song of Light".

Many portraits are drawn from unexpected encounters. Artist Nguyen Thu Ha often talks for hours with the characters to find out what needs to be captured. That listening becomes the material for her to draw faces that not only resemble real people, but also carry their souls. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu, the prototype of the work “Red Symphony”, recounts the encounter: “I knew Thu Ha through Facebook and I was impressed right from Thu Ha’s first paintings. When chatting, I said that I like the color red, Thu Ha used that as a basis to create this brilliant portrait.”

Family is also an important source of inspiration in the works of artist Nguyen Thu Ha. In the painting “Tuoi May Xao Dong”, the artist painted his daughter with all the affection of a mother. The image of the little girl tilting her head dreamily, her clear eyes still intact with innocence, not sophisticated in technique, but warm and close. The painting seems to remind that behind the artist there are always loved ones standing shoulder to shoulder.

In addition, the exhibition also introduces to visitors works that delve deeper into the themes of femininity, mountain life and private memories. Portraits of Mong, Dao, Tay girls appear in traditional ethnic costumes. The author uses clear colors, the characteristic color layers of watercolor. Thereby, bringing a sense of familiarity but at the same time still full of symbolism, like life stories that are both real and dreamy in the artist's eyes. Standing in front of the portraits, viewers seem to be in dialogue with the characters in the paintings, to understand and love their hidden beauty.

Journey back to painting

Few people know that the journey to painting of artist Nguyen Thu Ha is not a straight line to the destination. Graduating from the University of Industrial Fine Arts (Hanoi) in 2002, she turned to work in many fields, including: Fashion , ceramics, graphics, film... Each field brings her its own experiences. All of that has become the foundation to help her build her own unique watercolor style, soft but not weak, clear but still rich in depth, light but still strong in light and emotion.

By 2021, she returned fully to the easel. Since then, her creative journey has gradually expanded. In 2023, she and 19 Vietnamese artists participated in the exhibition "Southern Wind - Vietnamese Fine Arts Today" in Ulanbator (Mongolia). In November 2024, she introduced the solo exhibition "Watercolor Portraits - Reflections Through Mirrors" in Hanoi , an important milestone affirming the return of the artist who lives her life to the fullest with painting. By 2025, she will continue to bring this exhibition to Ho Chi Minh City, giving the public who love painting the opportunity to experience emotional works.

Painter Nguyen Thu Ha (standing in the middle) takes a souvenir photo at the exhibition.

For artist Nguyen Thu Ha, drawing portraits is not simply about recording a person’s appearance, but rather a process of understanding people through intuition and empathy. Interacting with the characters becomes the material for her to create hidden layers of emotions in her paintings. That is why the faces in her paintings always breathe life, even though they are only painted with light layers of smoky colors. Meritorious Artist Cao Ngoc Anh, who has followed her artistic journey, commented: “This exhibition opens up a world of subtle and thoughtful inner feelings. The characters in the paintings seem to be awakened, making them step out and converse with us.”

Her watercolor technique continues to be highly appreciated by experts. The control of transparency - opacity, soft color borders, and blurred layers are all flexibly applied to tell wordless stories. Sometimes it is anxiety, sometimes gentleness, and at other times the hidden power of emotions that are difficult to grasp but still clearly visible to the naked eye.

The exhibition attracted public attention.

The combination of works has brought the spirit of "a journey of reflection" that the artist put into the paintings. There, the character's face not only appears, but also reflects back to the viewer through each look, each streak, each silence. Artist Nguyen Thu Ha expressed: "Watercolor art not only evokes the love of beauty but also connects people's hearts, creating wonderful moments of sharing. Through that, the exhibition is also a mirror reflecting inner values ​​and questions. At the same time, clearly affirming the artistic path that I want to continue on".

Article and photos: BAO NGAN

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    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/van-hoc-nghe-thuat/noi-anh-nhin-cham-nhau-qua-nhung-buc-chan-dung-1014518