From painting to the journey to find light

“The twinkling stars/ Reflect the vastness of my heart/ Sadness and joy melt away in the wind/ Have you met me?”. These are impromptu poems that artist Mai Thi Kim Uyen once wrote for herself, and then became the inspiration for her to hold the lacquer painting exhibition “Stars in the Night” at the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum. From here, the public joins her on a journey through the darkness to find light, to find themselves through painting.

Báo Quân đội Nhân dân•09/11/2025

At the exhibition, warm yellow light bathed 54 large-format lacquer paintings, each one shining like a quietly shining star. Most of the works measured 80cm x 180cm, with the longest reaching 540cm, arranged side-by-side like chapters in a visual book. When asked why she chose September 9th for the opening, artist Mai Thi Kim Uyen confided: “I’ve always been strongly impressed by the number 9. To me, it symbolizes maturity in life and in my profession, something I aspire to.”

Artist Mai Thi Kim Uyen, born in 1986, is originally from Quang Nam province but grew up and became deeply attached to Pleiku (Gia Lai province). The mountains and forests of the Central Highlands, with their red soil, deep green forests, and purple sunsets, have left a deep impression on her soul. When painting, she often chooses dark brown and deep black backgrounds, along with shimmering gold and vibrant red hues. From this, her works exhibit many contrasting elements: light and dark, rough and soft, dynamic and static... layered upon each other, creating a world of many opposing extremes, with much privacy and discretion, yet also full of intensity and boldness.

Dr. Luu Hong Son, working at the Pleiku Museum in Gia Lai province, who has had the opportunity to observe Mai Thi Kim Uyen's creative process for many years, shared: "Initially, when I saw the works of artist Mai Thi Kim Uyen, I thought she was an artist unfamiliar with the mountainous region where she was born and raised. However, at this lacquer painting exhibition 'Stars in the Night,' Mai Thi Kim Uyen's works clearly express her wild, passionate, and fervent love for the Central Highlands. Through this, she expresses her desire to preserve the pristine and pure beauty of this sun-drenched plateau."

Artist Mai Thi Kim Uyen.

From that source, the works at the exhibition depicted the tumultuous journey of women who, despite facing difficulties, always strive for self-improvement, transcendence, and transformation. Beginning the tour, the public is greeted by the small figure of a woman in "The Girl and the Ladder," centered around a slender figure standing before a long ladder leaning against a vibrant red wall—a place that could lead to freedom or immense challenges. In "Light at the End of the Road," the work captivates viewers with a deep red hue, both passionate and haunting, with the woman's face leaning towards a small but intensely luminous point of light. Standing before the painting, viewers see that even in the most fragile moment, a glimmer of light can help them find their way, to overcome the darkness. Artist Mai Thi Kim Uyen smiles as she looks at the painting: "This is when I know I can finally speak my own voice, no longer afraid."

Then, the woman becomes stronger in the work "Out There, the World is Vast and Wide - Fly Away," where she spreads her arms as if to embrace the world, against a backdrop of deep blue sky and radiant golden light, expressing aspiration and liberation from inner anxieties. In later works, she conveys the idea of the woman merging with nature, as in the painting "Rebirth," where the artist skillfully depicts the figure, the water, and the light blending into a gentle movement. Ms. Le Hoang Mai (born in 1971, a visitor to the exhibition) thoughtfully admired the work and confided: "This is the moment when people stop searching for glamour and find peace within themselves. I think ultimately, freedom is when we realize who we are in this life."

The work "Rebirth".

Notably, the works at the exhibition combine traditional lacquer techniques with modern oil painting. This combination gives viewers the feeling that light and color are emanating from the deepest layers within. Artist Ho Thi Xuan Thu commented: “The lacquer material has brought out the oil paint. Therefore, the works are not meant to showcase technique but focus on emotion, allowing viewers to feel the story in each color.”

The exhibition "Stars in the Night" is therefore not just a personal milestone for artist Mai Thi Kim Uyen, but a journey of the soul. Each painting is a star that the artist has lit with patience and personal experience. So that when viewers leave that brightly lit room, they are sown with the seed of hope that in any dark night, there is a star shining.

Comment (0)