On July 30th, the exhibition "Beauty Behind the Glamour: Vietnamese Lacquer Paintings" opened at the National Museum of Oriental Art in Moscow.
Featuring 80 paintings and 27 pieces of furniture, this is the largest lacquerware exhibition ever held by Vietnam's most renowned artists in the Russian Federation.
The project is being carried out by the Russian Ministry of Culture, with support from the Russian "History of the Fatherland" Fund and the "Tradition and Friendship" Fund for Promoting Russian-Vietnamese Cooperation.
Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova, the Museum Director, and other Russian guests warmly welcomed the art-loving guest from Vietnam - the wife of the General Secretary Ngo Phuong Ly - to attend and speak at the art event commemorating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
At the exhibition, viewers can admire picturesque landscapes with endless spaces, flooded rice fields, mountain markets, and especially the traditional lacquer art of masters whose creations have become national treasures, such as Le Quoc Loc, Pham Hau, Nguyen Tu Nghiem, Pham Van Don, Nguyen Trong Kiem, Tran Dinh Tho, Linh Chi, Duong Bich Lien, and Hoang Tich Tru.
In her opening remarks, Russian Federation Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova emphasized that the works on display at the exhibition reflect the entire history of the formation of Vietnamese lacquer art. Furthermore, viewers can see vivid historical accounts of an important period in Vietnamese history following the victory of the August Revolution in 1945, the two resistance wars that ended colonial rule, and the reunification of North and South Vietnam in 1975.
Representing the "Tradition and Friendship" Foundation and President of the Union of Vietnamese Associations in the Russian Federation, Mr. Do Xuan Hoang expressed his honor to support the organization of this prestigious and proud cultural event showcasing Vietnamese art.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly affirmed that the event holds great significance, not only culturally but also as a vivid symbol of friendship between the people of Vietnam and the Russian Federation.
The First Lady affirmed that lacquer painting is a distinctive traditional art form of Vietnam; it is the result of a meticulous and elaborate artistic process, requiring patience, masterful skills, and the soul of the artist. "Today's exhibition is not only a cultural event but also a bridge for artistic exchange between the Vietnamese and Russian peoples," the First Lady emphasized.
Audiences knowledgeable about and appreciative of Russian art also had the opportunity to hear Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly personally introduce some of Vietnam's most beautiful and internationally acclaimed art forms: the art of costume design, exemplified by the traditional ao dai, and the distinctive art of lacquerware.
Exhibition curator Albina Legostaeva said this exhibition is particularly significant as it is held to commemorate major events in Vietnam such as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the country; the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification; the 70th anniversary of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; the 135th anniversary of the birth of President Ho Chi Minh ; and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Indochina College of Fine Arts - where lacquer painting originated. Many of the paintings featured in the exhibition are works by students who studied at this school.
Ms. Albina Legostaeva noted that modern Vietnamese lacquer painting has advanced significantly compared to the paintings presented at the exhibition. However, she noted that Vietnam still has artists who create in the traditional style, using multiple layers of lacquer paint—a very elaborate process to produce works of high technical quality. There are also artists who use modern techniques to create paintings faster, but the quality of their works is no less impressive, focusing on novel ideas rather than the depth of work achieved with older methods.
Ms. Albina Legostaeva emphasized that the National Museum of Oriental Art is truly fortunate to possess priceless lacquerware works, and that it is indeed a treasure.
On this occasion, the Vietnam Collection of the National Museum of Oriental Art is also honored to be supplemented with "precious gems" in the form of gifts from Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly to the museum and to all art-loving audiences in the Russian Federation: a custom-designed ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) for her official visit to the Russian Federation with the General Secretary in May 2025, and the painting "Palm Hill" painted in 1963 by artist Phan Ke An, one of the most representative figures of 20th-century Vietnamese painting.
The ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) is made from Vietnamese silk and features images of birch trees, a symbol of Russia, and bamboo groves, representing Vietnam.
After the exhibition, the wife of General Secretary To Lam and other delegates toured all the exhibition spaces and visited the Vietnam Room of the museum.
On this occasion, the First Lady also presented and introduced to the Russian Minister of Culture, the Director of the National Museum of Oriental Art, and the curator of the lacquer painting exhibition several items that she had personally designed.
Earlier, at the exhibition, a meeting took place between the Russian Minister of Culture and his wife to discuss various topics aimed at further promoting cooperation in the cultural field between the two countries.
Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly expressed her pleasure at meeting the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, Olga Lyubimova, and extended her gratitude to the Minister personally and to the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation for their support in organizing activities in Russia to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The First Lady pointed out that culture plays a very important role in the relationship between the two countries, serving as a link between the people of Russia and Vietnam, helping both sides to understand each other better.
The First Lady expressed her emotion at the love for Vietnamese culture shown by the Russian people, as many people lined up to enter the area where the Vietnamese Cultural Festival was held on Red Square after the opening ceremony on July 25th.
Minister Olga Lyubimova emphasized that organizing cultural exchange festivals with Vietnam has become a fine tradition. Currently, the Vietnamese Cultural Festival is taking place in Moscow, attracting a large number of spectators and tourists. The festival area is always full.
Minister Olga Lyubimova highly appreciated the significance of the Vietnamese Cultural Festival at Red Square and expressed hope that more similar activities would be organized in other parts of Russia at appropriate times throughout the year.
The Minister cordially invites Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly to visit and participate in the cultural and diplomatic activities that will take place in the Russian Federation.
Welcoming the ideas and proposals from the Russian side, Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly expressed her hope that the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Russian Ministry of Culture would continue to contribute to strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries through practical cooperation activities such as training, artist exchanges, organizing exhibitions, film weeks and art performances in both countries.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/trien-lam-tranh-son-mai-lon-nhat-cua-viet-nam-tai-lien-bang-nga-post1053014.vnp
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