He is passionate about painting the beauty of the Central Highlands with splendid lacquer.
Few people know that the opportunity to come to painting of artist Truong Van Linh came from a rather strange story.
Born as a Tay in Cao Bang , Truong Van Linh followed his family to Dak Lak to make a living. His childhood was associated with fields, grasslands, streams and cow herding.
Recalling the turning point in his life, he said: “When I was 14 years old, one afternoon while herding cows, the loudspeaker suddenly sounded in the communal hall. I saw a crowd of people gathered so I was curious to see. A man approached me, gave me a piece of paper and a pencil and kindly said: Try drawing a little to see how talented you are? I sat down on the steps, my hands still shaking with surprise. Two hours later, the first drawing in my life of my family's teapot appeared on paper. And surprisingly, I was chosen to be in the painting class, which at that time had only 6 students. The person who encouraged me to draw that day was the teacher, painter Mo Lo Hiu. He was the one who lit the flame of painting in me that still burns brightly today.”
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| Painter Truong Van Linh. |
Although not born in the Central Highlands, more than half of his life has been spent on this land, making it seep into Truong Van Linh’s blood and flesh. He confided: “For me, the Central Highlands is not only a subject but also a feeling, an epic scene, an aspiration expressed through the language of painting…”.
Looking at Truong Van Linh's paintings, one can easily see: the sound of white waterfalls; the immense sa mu forest; the longhouse roof soaring into the blue sky; or the sound of ding nam, gongs echoing by the fire; tomb statues, poles, and brocade motifs... He has distilled all of these rich cultural materials into his paintings with a modern visual mindset while still preserving the soul of the Central Highlands.
In particular, the beauty of the Central Highlands is expressed by artist Truong Van Linh using splendid lacquer, because according to him, this is the material that helps him “distill the splendid light in his body”. Linh shared: “I pursue the beauty of light, the pure energy that connects the sky, the earth and the ocean. I want viewers to feel the movement of nature through light: sometimes soft on the forest canopy, sometimes shimmering under the water, like a pure breath of the earth and sky”.
A representative of this lacquer painting genre is the work “Afternoon Sun of the Central Highlands” (National Fine Arts Exhibition 2025). According to the artist’s own description, the painting is a nostalgic visual symphony. Under the golden sunset, the Ede stilt house roof and the ancient kơ nia tree appear majestic and quiet. The horizontal composition of the work opens up a vast space, evoking a sense of eternity and protection. The kơ nia tree in the painting is not inanimate but is like a cultural underground stream, connecting generations, standing firmly between heaven and earth to tell the story of the village.
The work “The Central Highlands March” entered the final round of the 2nd Vietnam Cultural Heritage through Painting Competition in 2025. The image of elephants in the work is not simply realistically depicted but stylized using geometric language. The elephants appear as both a symbol of sacred power and a metaphor for enduring community memory. The strong color combination and contrast between the eggshell panels, carefully inlaid on the frame and the background of then and cockroach lacquer create a majestic rhythm like the sound of gongs on a festival day.
In the work “Happy Elephants”, viewers see a radiant and warm Truong Van Linh. He uses warm colors (brown, orange, yellow), reminiscent of the patterns on ethnic costumes; turning the painting into a joyful melody, praising the harmony between humans and nature.
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| "The Central Highlands March". Painting: Truong Van Linh |
Journey of sowing and nurturing the soul
Leaving the easel, Truong Van Linh returned to the role of teacher and educational manager at the very place that nurtured his dream. His academic journey is a complete circle: From a student of the Intermediate level (1988 - 1994) at Dak Lak High School of Culture and Arts, he continued at Hue University of Arts, got a master's degree at Vietnam University of Fine Arts, then returned to be a lecturer and is now the Head of the Faculty of Fine Arts.
“Every artist has a place to belong. For me, that is Dak Lak College of Culture and Arts,” Linh shared. More than anyone, he understands the value of “transmission”. From the kindness of Mr. Mo Lo Hiu in the past, he continues to play the role of sowing seeds for the younger generation. He is grateful to his old teachers, colleagues who have worked side by side, and students who have joined him in renewing the face of fine arts in his home province.
Having been devoted to the teaching profession for more than half of his life, Mr. Linh always believes: "A teacher not only teaches how to draw but also instills in his students love, qualities and passion for the profession." In every class, every practice session, every conversation with his students, he passes on what he has received from Mr. Mo Lo Hiu and previous generations of teachers. For painter Truong Van Linh, art is not just technique, art is culture, identity, and life values. Art training is not just teaching a profession, it is a journey of sowing seeds and nurturing the soul.
From Cao Bang to Dak Lak, from a cowherd boy to a master, painter, and Head of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association in Dak Lak, Truong Van Linh's journey is like a lacquer painting polished over time, the more polished it becomes, the more you look at it, the more depth you see.
King Zhang Yi
Source: https://baodaklak.vn/van-hoa-du-lich-van-hoc-nghe-thuat/202511/ve-tay-nguyen-bang-chat-lieu-son-mai-long-lay-40e1f86/
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