Minimalism - the 'fingerprint' of artist Le Thiet Cuong

Artist Le Thiet Cuong, born in 1962, is no longer a strange name in the Vietnamese art world. He studied at the Vietnam Academy of Theatre and Cinema in Hanoi from 1985 to 1990. With his talent and constant creativity, Le Thiet Cuong has become one of the few famous minimalist painters in the country.

Not only that, he is also active in many fields of journalism, covering various cultural and artistic topics. Following his work "House and People ," his next works are " Conversations with Painting" and " In a Grain of Rice," which compiles articles by painter Le Thiet Cuong about Vietnamese culture in recent years.

Artist Le Thiet Cuong

Photo: TL

I've known the painter Le Thiet Cuong for almost 10 years now. The first time, poet and musician Nguyen Thuy Kha took me to La Ca Cafe, 24 Ly Quoc Su Street, Hanoi . This place is full of memories of two talented artists whom I admire. If in the past, "art and literature would be sad without Le Thiet Cuong," later on, poet Nguyen Thuy Kha and painter Le Thiet Cuong became a close-knit pair, sharing their daily lives about poetry, music, and art at this charming little cafe.

"Every lunchtime is the same / Two guys lean their heads on their glasses / Raising up Scotch Whisky / Drinking it all / Until it becomes nothing / To avoid boredom" (Nguyen Thuy Kha).

They are inseparable, "a routine that never becomes boring," wine and art are the kindred spirits of these two renowned talents, not only in Hanoi but throughout the country, especially during the art exhibitions of painter Le Thiet Cuong, where poet Nguyen Thuy Kha serves as the introductory speaker.

I am fortunate to be close to them, learning so much about the character of a true artist in this day and age. I not only admire the creative talent of these two famous men, but I also learn so much from their exemplary manners and conduct at the dinner table, a testament to their close friendship in the arts. Being from the countryside, every time I see them clink glasses with such elegance, I feel even more out of place and provincial. I feel even smaller in comparison to the erudition of Nguyen Thuy Kha, the "living dictionary of music, " and the multifaceted knowledge of literature and art, especially the unique minimalist world of painting pursued by artist Le Thiet Cuong.

Artist Le Thiet Cuong at Gallery 39A Ly Quoc Su (Hanoi)

PHOTO: TL

Artist Le Thiet Cuong lives and creates freely in his own way.

During a few conversations with him, Le Thiet Cuong mentioned that he hadn't initially pursued this path, yet everything seemed "as if it were the first time it had happened." He often jokingly borrowed a line from my poem to express this idea.

Many experts have already written about Le Thiet Cuong's paintings; I've only heard the comments of poet Nguyen Thuy Kha during many drinking sessions: "Le Thiet Cuong's paintings are vast and unpredictable. Each painting almost exclusively chooses one main color tone, then blends that color on a static surface. From there, the colors and composition of the painting will prompt the viewer to contemplate what is truly happening behind each person's life."

Minimalism in Le Thiet Cuong's paintings is always profound, imbued with layers of meaning. The figures of people, objects, and landscapes are strangely simple, defined by lines and divided into metaphorical color blocks. Viewers can easily sense the spaciousness and elegance of each work, but it certainly takes time to "read" the multifaceted meanings within each painting. Le Thiet Cuong's style is defined by uniqueness and refined minimalism, a path he feels was destined for him from a young age.

Artist Le Thiet Cuong and the author of the article - poet Nguyen Ngoc Hanh

PHOTO: TL

After being discharged from the army in 1984, painter Le Thiet Cuong frequently visited his neighbor, poet Dang Dinh Hung, father of People's Artist Dang Thai Son. Le Thiet Cuong once recounted: "It was Mr. Hung who helped me 'open my eyes,' discover , and develop my minimalist style. If I wield a paintbrush in a minimalist style, then I wield a pen in a minimalist style too. He once told me, 'When painting, sculpting, making pottery, or designing graphics, even when writing about a person, I only talk about the precious dust they have contributed to literature and painting, not about the author themselves.' Even in my criticism of Nguyen Ngoc Hanh's poetry, I wrote in a minimalist style. The title of my article about his poetry published in Nhan Dan Newspaper , 'The Unmade Poems, ' was also written in that minimalist tone."

Le Thiet Cuong raised his glass to clink with Nguyen Thuy Kha's and said, "Minimalism is me, I am minimalism, it's my fingerprint, my life's identity, Nguyen Ngoc Hanh!"

Le Thiet Cuong, with his talent and unique style, has made a significant contribution to the development of Vietnamese art, especially minimalist painting. His life is not only the story of a successful painter but also the journey of an authentic artist, living and creating freely in his own way.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/toi-gian-dau-van-tay-cua-hoa-si-le-thiet-cuong-185250717153851686.htm