I ignored the comment "crazy guy"

After a long period of artistic stalemate, one day Doan Nguyen suddenly became a sensation all over the internet and his paintings were sought after.

Lonely life in the cemetery

Artist Doan Nguyen created a painting with the theme "Lotus and Buddha"

People call Doan Nguyen "crazy painter" because of the videos of him writhing while drawing, occasionally taking a few sips of wine. He also often calls himself "crazy when drawing", why is that?

There was a time when I suddenly became afraid of crowds, probably partly because I lived alone in a small room, rarely heard people, and rarely went out. Sometimes I missed people but had no friends.

I have 2 close friends but my wife forbids them from hanging out with me so we limit seeing each other.

Now that their wives have "released" them, they let me play with them, so I can also socialize and talk, and even have online friends who know me, love me, and invite me to Hanoi to play.

Today I got to go to Hanoi to play. Since I was little, this is the first time I have known Hanoi. I am so happy! Unlike before, I wanted to play with someone so much that I went on social media to make people curse me, so I could still communicate.

Then I kept teasing them, but they didn't even bother to care or talk to me. I felt so cold that I became depressed.

When did your depression and loneliness start?

“

In my life, I only like to paint two themes: “Desolation” and “Lotus and Buddha”. Look at my “Desolation” paintings, the poor give food to the poor, it is full of humanity. As for “Lotus and Buddha”, in Vietnamese painting, I dare say that no one paints lotus like me. The lotus leaves and colors in my paintings are the phoenix tails in my dreams.

Artist Doan Nguyen

”

Probably since I started composing. I studied at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts. After graduating, I worked as a copyist to make a living.

At that time, I was very peaceful, just copying paintings day after day, and at the end of the month I had money to send to my wife. No one scolded or blamed me.

But I feel bored, when I just draw the same old paintings every day, without creativity, without contributing anything to Vietnamese painting.

I packed my clothes and left home, not saying a word to my wife and children for more than ten years.

In Saigon, I started drawing, but my drawings were still like other people's paintings. Because I had copied paintings for so long, I was influenced, and I didn't have my own style.

I painted again and again. The colors and fabrics were expensive, but I couldn't paint. I became depressed and started drinking. I don't remember how long this lasted.

I still remember the Young Fine Arts Festival in 2005, meeting many young artists at that time, they shared about painting, the unique colors in your paintings were also mentioned. However, the story that stayed with me was your eccentric personality. How has your life been since then?

I live alone, in a small room in the middle of a cemetery in District 12. The wall is also a large grave next to it.

The population there is very small, the dead outnumber the living. I rented this house, but they didn't charge me money. When I first asked, they were surprised when I asked to rent it.

They asked me why I rented here. I said I wanted peace and quiet. They didn’t know I was an artist or what I was renting for. They thought I was renting to grow water spinach, so they charged me 800,000 VND/month. I lived there for more than a year, then they stopped charging me. It’s been more than 10 years now.

There was not much joy or laughter there. Sometimes I felt cold and lonely. In my loneliest moments, I heard the sound of frogs and crickets chirping, and I felt happier. I saw them as my friends.

Just mind what you do

Works in the theme "Desolation" by artist Doan Nguyen

So what gave you the inspiration to start creating works that have become so popular and sought after by art lovers in recent times?

I began to explore after having strange dreams. At that time, it was raining heavily in Saigon. Honestly, I didn’t know if I was dreaming or if it was just a feeling in a drunken stupor. I saw a Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara flying in the sky, holding a lotus in his hand and then scattering lotus petals all over the cemetery.

From then on, I began to research that dream and delve into the theme of “Lotus and Buddha”. When I finished painting “Lotus and Buddha”, I dreamed of a phoenix and a peacock flying up to the sky. I took the colors from the phoenix and the peacock and blended them into the lotus leaves. Therefore, in real life, there are no lotuses as colorful as the ones in my paintings.

But since I started drawing, I have been cursed as “crazy” and “insane” under the videos of me drawing. At first, I was confused and shocked. But then I realized that I should not care about the outside world but care about what I am doing.

Now I am more loved, more shared with, so I feel comfortable, relieved, and my soul is more open. In the future, I will have more ideas to draw.

Hundreds of people ordered paintings but no one dared to accept.

A work on the theme "Desolation" by artist Doan Nguyen

Many people want to invite you to exhibitions, why do you refuse this playground?

To say famous, in 2007 - 2009, I was already famous. My paintings had never participated in any exhibition, but they were sold abroad.

I don’t like joining groups. It’s a waste of money and just flattering each other. I don’t have my own exhibition either, because I don’t paint much. Every painting I make is sold out, so where are the paintings to exhibit?

Up to this point, I have had more than 200 people text me to order my paintings, but I dare not reply. Because I have no paintings to reply to them.

Being able to draw pictures and have many people love and love your paintings, your life will be much more comfortable?

Actually, I can't always paint, the number of my paintings on the market is still too small. I'm not a machine, I never paint randomly, but must have emotion and inspiration.

I also never sell more than 3 paintings to any one individual. I sell paintings by chance. There are paintings I post for 5,000 USD. If you are lucky enough, you can buy them. If you are not lucky enough, even if you pay 10,000 USD, there will be no paintings left to buy.

I spent very little on the money I earned from selling my paintings. I mainly invested in upgrading my painting tools and even my drinking wine. I no longer drink wine from grocery stores that costs tens of thousands per liter, but I drink wine soaked in fruit, which costs over a hundred thousand per liter.

There are also many people who love me and send me wine, I can't drink it all. Today I'm holding 6,000 USD.

But when I have money, I just go out drinking, when I run out of money I come back and continue drawing. The problem is, when I have money, I can't draw, I can't do anything (laughs).

With money, the artistic path is also open, has your outlook on life changed much?

Things don't change, even if you give me a fancy shirt, I'll still be me, it can't change my nature.

Are you satisfied with your life now?

I am happy. I have more friends, I am loved more. Many people invite me to their house to play, to talk and communicate. I have found my own path in painting, stabilized my own style, and "liberated" myself. I feel refreshed!

Thank you!

Source: http://www.baogiaothong.vn/hoa-si-doan-nguyen-toi-bo-ngoai-tai-loi-binh-pham-thang-khung-d592891.html