"A Unique Phong Way" and Suggestions for Individual Paths in Art

On the morning of October 25, at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum (66 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh, Hanoi), art lovers and artists had the opportunity to meet and talk with painter Dao Hai Phong in an Art Talk with the theme "Riên một đường Phong".

Art Talk Space "A Unique Phong Way".

The program, organized by the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, is part of the "Art Paths" series of activities to create a bridge between artists and the public, contributing to spreading the love of art in contemporary life.

Artist Dao Hai Phong is one of the representative faces of contemporary Vietnamese fine arts. With a vibrant, emotional color palette and a unique style of expression, he has created a distinctive mark in the hearts of art connoisseurs. His paintings are not only stories about landscapes or people, but also an inner voice, a convergence of memories, emotions and belief in beauty.

During the talk, the artist will share about his creative journey, from the first years of holding a brush, to the process of finding and shaping his personal style. The theme "A Unique Style" suggests a story about his own artistic path that is steadfast, rich in identity and full of emotion.

Painter Dao Hai Phong had an open and interesting conversation.

With over thirty years of painting, artist Dao Hai Phong has become one of the representative faces of contemporary Vietnamese fine arts. His landscape paintings, from rooftops, rows of trees, river banks to small streets, all exude a unique light that is quiet, clear and poignant. Behind that is the artist's profound concept: Art is first and foremost a state of emotion.

"The house gives me a sense of peace, and the tree is the movement of life. I have drawn those images since I was a child, and the more I travel and the longer I work with this profession, the more I see them as a reflection of my inner life," he shared.

Born into an artistic family, his father is painter Dao Duc, painter Dao Hai Phong was exposed to painting from an early age. He said that his childhood was associated with going with his father to see paintings, listening to him analyze the beautiful, the bad, the delicate and the trivial. It was these seemingly small things that gradually formed his aesthetic "taste" - the foundation that he considers the most important thing for an artist.

Dao Hai Phong's works have appeared in many special spaces.

According to the artist, for an artist, finding their "taste" in artistic creation is extremely important. If we let the bad and ugly surround us for too long, it will haunt our souls, becoming a habit of distorted perception. But if we live in beauty, in the subtle things, then our emotions and creative energy will also be directed towards good things.

From that realization, he chose for himself a consistent direction: Painting landscapes - a seemingly simple subject but extremely difficult to maintain vitality and emotion over time. For many years, Dao Hai Phong has been loyal to landscapes. Many people wonder why he doesn't find new subjects, doesn't try his hand at other genres. He thinks he just changes his state.

According to the artist, each landscape painting reflects the painter’s state of mind at the time of creation. The same road, the same house, the same river, but when the painter is happy, the painting brightens; when the painter is sad, the colors also calm down.

Creativity is the process of nurturing emotions, a vibration that lasts from the first moment until the last brush stroke. If the emotion is interrupted, the painting will lose its soul. The difference between artists is who can nurture emotions. If you run out of breath halfway through a painting, you should stop, because the work is only truly alive when the artist is still moved.

The artist emphasizes emotions in his artwork.

From gouache to oil paint, from dark and sad tones to bright and cheerful shades, Dao Hai Phong's journey is a journey to find freedom in emotions. He is not afraid to change materials, not afraid to renew the composition, but always maintains a consistent spirit, which is with true emotions.

After three decades of creating, artist Dao Hai Phong still maintains the same passion as in the beginning. He believes that an artist can only truly mature when he accepts limitations to delve into his inner world , instead of chasing after superficial changes.

From the intimate atmosphere of chatting with artists and art lovers, the artist shared profound ideas about the profession, painting, and how people enjoy beauty. Dao Hai Phong emphasized that the topic is just an excuse to affirm that the important thing in art is not what is painted, but what is felt.

As a former artist working in the film industry, Dao Hai Phong has a special love for the light in the film setting. There, light illuminates the space, revealing the psychology of the characters. Perhaps from that, his paintings carry the breath of cinema, both illusory and real, both still and moving.

For Dao Hai Phong, painting is a state of mind. He sees himself as a chef who mixes colors and creates a visual feast. A feast does not need to be elaborate, it just needs to be flavorful and honest. Referring to the decorative element in painting, he believes that each painting cannot be without decorative elements. But more than that, it is what the viewer feels.

Picture books by Dao Hai Phong at Art Talk space.

Dao Hai Phong loves poetry, and he does not hesitate to express it. Poetic language suggests painting, while nature is the master of all masters. To him, poetry is rhythm, is metaphor; and nature is the treasure of all inspiration. Do not copy nature, artists should only observe and learn from nature by making it their own.

During the conversation, the artist also shared many concerns about the correct understanding of art collectors. He expressed that many collectors abroad have bought Vietnamese paintings with the hope that everyone can enjoy them, including the poor and those who do not have the means, and at some point they will donate them to museums. That is a beautiful spirit, different from those who only buy paintings for speculation.

"In our country, people sometimes confuse purchasing, speculating with collecting," the artist said. Thanks to the renovation period and foreigners who love Vietnamese art, the paintings of many domestic artists, including Dao Hai Phong, have had the opportunity to travel far and wide. He called it a great opportunity and luck that aroused his deep gratitude.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Minh, Director of Vietnam Fine Arts Museum shared.

"There is no artist who does not want to renew themselves because if they do not renew, they will become a worker or find themselves bored. In life, I am not afraid of sadness, only of feeling bored. With art, I think style is something that is ingrained, creating the core, but the appearance can change. However, no matter what, the viewer must still realize that there is a connection, a connection, must see that it is still them, not someone else," the artist said.

According to him, the disadvantage of today's life is too much hustle and bustle. People are moving fast, thinking fast, consuming images so fast that their thoughts and souls are constantly wavering. For artists, that is also a concern, because if they do not have enough courage, do not have enough personality, it is easy to dissolve, blur into the common world, where everything looks the same.

In contemporary art life, Art Talk sessions where artists directly share their creative journey, artistic philosophy and the story behind their works have become a familiar activity in many countries with developed fine arts. In Vietnam, this form is still quite new, but is being implemented systematically and creatively by the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, creating a new breeze in the way the public approaches art.

The Art Talk series - Art paths organized by the Museum is considered a remarkable highlight in the current art promotion activities, helping the public to directly listen, ask questions and exchange with artists. The Art Talk sessions have brought a new way of enjoyment, helping viewers enter the creative world of artists, better understand the aesthetic values, thoughts and emotions conveyed in each work. In addition to thematic talks such as "Riêng mot loi Phong" with artist Dao Hai Phong, the Art Talk series also targets many artists of different generations, trends and fields, thereby reflecting the diversity and vitality of Vietnamese art today.

MAI LU

Source: https://nhandan.vn/rieng-mot-loi-phong-va-goi-mo-ve-nhung-loi-di-rieng-trong-nghe-thuat-post917912.html