Ta Hai and "The Game with Leaves"

In Ta Hai's world of painting, the materials don't come from chemical palettes but are distilled from the purest elements of nature: dried flower petals and fallen leaves. Through skillful hands and a deeply expressive perspective, these seemingly lifeless objects are reborn, transforming into vibrant paintings.

The public enjoyed the artworks at the "Playing with Leaves" exhibition.

In "Playing with Leaves," artist and journalist Ta Hai presents to the public more than 80 works, documenting his more than 60-year journey of dedication and creativity in his unique style of leaf painting. The exhibition runs from April 15-19 at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum.

From reflections on the life cycle of a leaf...

"At this 'Playing with Leaves' exhibition, I'm displaying over 80 paintings on various themes. But these themes, in fact, are just a pretext, an opportunity for me to express my feelings about the wonders of nature," artist Ta Hai confided.

It's easy to see that the themes in Ta Hai's works are often simple and familiar. He paints natural landscapes, rural villages, and forests with changing leaves. He also depicts small streets in Hanoi and recreates beautiful scenes from across the country. He also paints of countries he has visited or portraits of loved ones in his family. Ta Hai experiments with both still life and abstract painting.

"My interplay with nature is about reviving dried leaves, dried flower petals, and other natural materials. These are things that many people consider waste, worthless. But for me, these materials still have a life of their own. They contain a magical potential if we know how to exploit and use them," artist Ta Hai shared about his artistic materials.

For Ta Hai, art can come from the simplest things in life. The artist believes that by slowing down and observing carefully, we can discover and transform seemingly worthless objects into things that bring unexpected value to beautify life.

My interaction with nature is about reviving dried leaves, dried flower petals, and other natural materials. These are things that many consider waste, worthless. But for me, these materials still have a life of their own. They possess a magical potential if we know how to harness and utilize them.

Artist Ta Hai

"I've thought a lot about the life cycle of a leaf. And I've realized that when a leaf falls to the ground – ending one 'life' – another green shoot is about to sprout. That life cycle, though short, is clearly incredibly meaningful," shared artist Ta Hai.

Through his paintings, Ta Hai wants to send a message to the public about the wonder of nature. For the artist, nature is incredibly beautiful and precious. "If we know how to cherish, respect, and protect it, nature will provide us with endless sources of creativity," the artist added.

...to the arduous journey of finding leaves and "playing" with them.

After more than 60 years of pursuing this unique art form, Ta Hai's leaf paintings continue to explore and innovate, bringing a unique emotional voice to contemporary art.

Viewing Ta Hai's leaf paintings, Associate Professor and Doctor of Art Studies Nguyen Do Bao commented: "Ta Hai's leaf paintings are an elegant and distinctive style, contributing a new and unique emotional voice and enriching contemporary aesthetic life. The artist's creativity has reached the characteristics of visual art."

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Do Bao, in dried leaves and dried flower petals—things that people consider waste—Ta Hai found magical patches of color that nature had already blended for him.

The artwork "Corner of the Countryside" was created in 2021.

"Ta Hai meticulously gathers fallen leaves, collecting what nature leaves behind to revive them in a new, more beautiful form. And he realizes that in them, there is still a life of its own, diverse and vibrant with color. It is these feelings that prompted Ta Hai to choose dried leaves and dried flower petals as materials to create his own paintings," researcher Nguyen Do Bao said.

Ta Hai's leaf paintings are an elegant and distinctive style, contributing a fresh emotional voice and enriching contemporary aesthetic life. The artist's creativity has reached the pinnacle of visual art.

Associate Professor, Doctor of Art Studies Nguyen Do Bao

The search for materials has determined Ta Hai's direction and style. Flowers and foliage of the four seasons have truly brought unexpected effects to his art, serving as an inexhaustible source of material for Ta Hai to create paintings with the colors of nature.

"Ta Hai's leaf paintings embody a warm, rustic sensibility, a perspective of those who haven't forgotten their cultural roots. The light and colors here evoke nostalgia, reminding us of a bygone world rather than the noisy, selfless daily routine," researcher Nguyen Do Bao added.

Within the framework of the exhibition, the public will have the opportunity to interact with and gain a deeper understanding of the creative journey of artist Ta Hai.

At the exchange session themed "The Journey to Find Leaves," taking place from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM on April 16th, artist Ta Hai will share his 60-year journey of searching for materials.

At the interactive session themed "Playing with Leaves," taking place at the same time on April 18th, the public will have the opportunity to explore and identify the creative materials and listen to the stories behind each artwork from the author.

CHIEU ANH

Source: https://nhandan.vn/ta-hai-va-cuoc-choi-voi-la-post955640.html