When you look at the stunningly vivid paintings of a young Vietnamese artist named Phan Thu Trang, it seems that they are voluminous, and are made of sticker sheets pasted onto the canvas. But upon closer examination, it becomes clear that this is "oil on canvas" - and a palette knife. With palette knife painting, when the artist applies paint to the canvas not with a brush, but with the help of a small spatula knife, we are already familiar with creativity and its colorful autumn landscapes. The paintings of Phan Thu Trang are just as colorful, except perhaps with a predominance of Vietnamese flavor.
Alas, we do not know much about the work of the young Vietnamese author. The artist was born in Hanoi, graduated from the University of Theater and Cinema, but she connected her future not with the stage and cameras, but with painting. So, at the age of 5, Phan Thu Trang took third place in a children's drawing competition, and at the age of 18, she became a participant in a student exhibition in Hanoi for the first time.
Frankly, with what paintings the young artist participated in exhibitions, we do not know. But if we look at the works that are sold in art galleries today, we can say with confidence that the author likes to draw trees most of all. And those by which you can’t tell the time of the year. It seems that the paintings depict early autumn with its riot of colors, but it can also be late summer, or snowy winter...
Multi-colored trees with small figures of their compatriots are Phan Thu Trang's favorite theme, that's a fact. But nevertheless, neither the audience nor the fans of her work complain, buying up colorful canvases for their apartments, galleries, country houses or offices.
For some time now, Phan Thu Trang has been a member of the Vietnam Young Artists Association.
On the trends in the development of landscape painting in modern Vietnam. Features of the artistic life of the country in modern economic and political conditions.
Autumn mist on Mount We-lin
envelops the trees.
Multicolored herbs, myriad flowers
decorate the mortal world.
Nguyen Zy "A Conversation in Kim-hoa about Poetry" XVI century.
Contemporary painting in Vietnam strikes with a variety of artistic trends. At the same time, there is no clear division into styles and genres - the manner of each artist is unique in its individuality, but at the same time, all masters strive to find and express precisely the national Vietnamese ideal. Since ancient times, the Vietnamese people feel like an integral part of nature, obeying its rhythms and admiring its strength and beauty. Achieving harmony with nature for the Vietnamese is not only a contemplative-philosophical concept, but also an urgent need. Vietnam is sometimes referred to by geographers as the "balcony of the Pacific". The humid climate and constant flooding forced the inhabitants of these lands to look for an opportunity to adapt to such difficult conditions. The hard work and responsibility of the Vietnamese helped them develop these lands, which were not originally suitable for agriculture. The Vietnamese are justifiably proud of this fact. They have a saying: "In Cambodia they eat rice, in Laos they sell it, and in Vietnam they grow it." Now rice grown in Vietnam has the most valuable nutritional qualities, and therefore is the same important factor for the economy of this country as oil and gas are for many other countries.
Nguyen Thi Tam, Village Scene, Hanoi Museum, silk, watercolor, 60x45, 1990s.
Any Vietnamese is truly a patriot of his land, knowing the names of almost every mountain or river, every beautiful flower. When painting nature, Vietnamese artists try not to copy any landscape from nature, but to convey their personal experiences from contemplating the beauty of their native country, to express their sincere love for the infinite grandeur and diversity of nature. Landscape painting on silk is distinguished by the most exquisite pictorial qualities. The material itself allows you to show the finest nuances of color, to convey the changes that occur in the landscape due to weather phenomena. Nguyen Thi Tam in his "Village Scene" depicts a morning landscape after rain. The trees are reflected in the murky clay water of the bay, and the horizon line is hidden by a misty haze. In the foreground, the paintings are rickety wooden footbridges leading to modest village houses. Before us is a poetic image of the wayward nature with which the Vietnamese are used to living in harmony. The houses are almost flooded with water, and the children carelessly have fun, swinging on the walkways.
Chu Thi Thanh, "Folk Festival in Northwest Vietnam", Hanoi Museum, silk, watercolor, 70x65 cm.
A characteristic piece of landscape painting on silk from the 1990s is the Folk Festival in Northwest Vietnam. The artist Chu Thi Thanh here achieves a genuine organic synthesis of landscape and genre painting. The national holiday is correlated by the master with the elements of nature. It seems as if nature itself takes part in the celebration: the branches of the trees, bent by the wind, echo the smooth movements of the village dancers, and the mountains serve as natural scenes for this joyful scene. There are no local colors in the coloring of the picture. Light shades of green, grayish blue and lemon yellow create a unique major color unity.
Le Kim Mi, "Northern Vietnam", Hanoi Museum, silk, watercolor, 60x45 cm.
The artist Le Kim Mi also paints the North Vietnamese look with inspiration, but he is attracted not by festive fun, but by everyday work. In the landscape "Northern Vietnam", he depicts girls walking along the edge of a rice field and carrying wicker baskets behind their backs. The tree trunks are graphically painted by the master, which evokes associations with the traditional painting of China and Korea. The color scheme is dominated by shades of green, conveying the freshness of foliage saturated with moisture. Landscape oil painting became popular at the beginning of the new 21st century, but it tends to be more decorative than true picturesque. Silk for Vietnamese painters is a familiar material, the lightness, smoothness and transparency of which help them to fully display the richness of their palette. Vietnamese artists began to paint in oil on canvas only in the middle of the 20th century. Work in this technique for a long time did not go beyond student attempts to master the new pictorial method. Only now, artists who turn to oil painting have begun to actively seek visual means to embody Vietnamese artistic ideals proper. It is important for any Vietnamese artist to emphasize the special brilliance that distinguishes the nature of his native country. If in painting on silk masters create color diversity due to exquisite subtle combinations of somewhat muted colors, then in oil painting, artists reveal the pictorial and decorative properties of local bright colors, as a rule.
Le Thanh, Trees in Autumn, private gallery in Hanoi, oil on canvas, 60x75 cm.
We can admire the flawless beauty of yellow and blue in the painting “Trees in Autumn”, painted in oil by an artist named Le Thankh. Some contemporary Vietnamese artists are so passionate about the beauty of local flowers that they create entire seasonal cycles of landscapes. Such, for example, is Lam Dak Manh, who created a cycle of more than twenty paintings depicting the central street in Hanoi at different times of the day and year. Color allows you to characterize the colors of a certain season, to convey to the viewer the feeling of a hot summer or a cool winter. Such works are in great demand among European and American collectors and entrepreneurs, and therefore, almost every gallery in Hanoi has a master who can custom-make any view that interests the customer in a certain color scheme. Unfortunately, not always a picture made in this way has the features of a really high art. However, it is worth recognizing that both the customer and the artist are usually endowed with good taste, so the art industry in Vietnam rarely stoops to the level of handicrafts. The buyers of Vietnamese art are mainly European intellectuals and large French entrepreneurs, descendants of the aristocratic families of those influential figures who did business in the Asian colony. It may seem very strange that the former aggressors and occupiers invest significant funds in the Vietnamese economy and show more friendly attention to Vietnam than former like-minded people and partners. In France, for example, exhibitions and fairs of Vietnamese artists are held almost every year.
Lam Dak Manh, Street in Hanoi, Hanoi, artist's gallery, 60x65 cm.
Modern Vietnamese painting, which has retained the unique charm of oriental traditions and absorbed a special sense of modernity, is an important part of world culture. The amazing inner harmony characteristic of this strong and noble people, who with dignity withstood the horrors of destructive wars, gave rise to a bright and original art, filled with high poetic images.
From: Oleg Volkov,
The Vietnamese are creative people with their own approach to art. There are a lot of unusual and colorful things in Vietnamese paintings made from a variety of materials. We want to tell you about some of them, because perhaps you did not even suspect that works of art can be created from such improvised materials. At the same time, we will touch on both the ancient ways of self-expression of artists, and the most modern ones.
Pictures embroidered with silk
A huge number of shades used in the creation of paintings and the delicate painstaking work of skilled craftswomen made Vietnamese paintings embroidered with silk famous throughout the world. Natural landscapes and portraits of people come to life in the paintings. Double-sided paintings are especially surprising. And all the works are distinguished by the effect of three-dimensional images. Paintings of craftswomen can be seen at the silk factory in Dalat. This is not just a factory, but a beautiful exhibition hall where you can admire the stunning works of embroiderers and, if you wish, buy your favorite painting. In addition, visitors can see how the girls are working on creating these amazing paintings right in the halls.
Lacquer paintings
Lacquer is a durable waterproof material and the Vietnamese use it to create beautiful paintings, decorate caskets, trays, screens and other items with lacquer images. Working with varnish requires certain skills, because this material quickly hardens. Masters must act quickly and accurately. You can see lacquer paintings in a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City by going there on a sightseeing tour. The workshop has a variety of items from large chests of drawers to tiny boxes that you can buy as a keepsake.
Paintings from chicken feathers
Such unique works can be seen in the old district of Hoi An, they are created by an artist named Dinh Thong. Since childhood, he was fond of fine arts, drawing with traditional paints and pencils, making collages out of paper, and then he decided to add something completely new and unusual to his work and made his first painting from chicken feathers. Usually the artist uses the feathers of Vietnamese birds, and they come in four colors: black, white, brown and gray. Dinh Thong sticks feathers on cardboard, thus creating landscapes, portraits or abstract compositions. These unusual paintings are characterized by durability, color fastness, and most importantly - originality.
Bas-relief engraving on glass OWL
This kind of art is not ancient. It appeared after a glass mosaic was brought to Vietnam from Europe. SOVA glass paintings were invented thanks to Phan Hong Vinh. It was he who developed a new technique of bas-relief engraving on glass. Using this technique, the master turns ordinary glass tiles into works of art. Vinh invented a special sandblasting machine that is used to process frosted glass, and also came up with a method for clouding crystal products. Engraving is used not only to create ordinary paintings, but also for the manufacture of various elements of room decor: doors, walls, partitions. A beautiful effect is obtained when the light falls on the glass: the space becomes sparkling! The paintings depict flowers and plants, animals, people or natural landscapes.
Rice paintings
As you know, rice for the Vietnamese is the most important cereal and product on the table. The Vietnamese value rice and respect it. Not surprisingly, rice also entered the realm of fine arts. With the help of rice grains, artists working in the Huu Cuong Nguyen workshop create unique paintings that depict the nature of Vietnam and the people living and working on the territory of the country. For work, the master chooses strong grains of the same size. In order to give the grains different shades, they are fried at different temperatures. Experienced professionals can get more than ten shades of rice. Viscous milky glue is used to stick rice on the base. Finished paintings are dried in the sun. The masters spend from six to twelve days on the production of one picture.
Butterfly wings paintings
Butterfly wing paintings are created by Vietnamese professor Bui Kong Hien. He took up this after he left teaching at the Faculty of Biology at the Hanoi Institute. Together with engineer Dang Ngoc Anh, they began breeding butterflies to create paintings. In the process of work, a special, specially designed type of glue is used, which preserves the natural tenderness of butterfly wings. Now the professor and the engineer are hatching an idea to teach the peasants how to breed butterflies and create amazing and unusual paintings so that they can increase their income.
Pictures from different natural materials
In some interior luxury Vietnamese stores, you can see original paintings created by a group of Ourway students. They are made of natural materials and it is not immediately possible to guess that the masters used eggshells, plant roots, hay, sawdust and straw for their works. It is interesting that students try not to color the materials for their paintings. They find multi-colored sawdust, use the shells of not only chicken, but also duck and quail eggs. At the initial stage, the sketch is applied to the base with a pencil, then the future picture is covered with glue, on which various materials are superimposed. All paintings are original and do not resemble one another, which is their special value.
Dang Can is a wonderful artist from Vietnam.
Gorgeous
Beauty ... She is like snow,
If you touch it, it seems hot.
Beauty is like fire - cold
It pierces as soon as you touch it.
Don't you want to drink? Look -
And you will feel thirsty like deserts
wanderer.
And hunger will torment the well-fed, if
He will see the beauty by chance ...
And the one who wants to die before the time,
Awakened to life again, seeing her.
O! It's just a dream of beauty
Soaring forever in the sky before us.
Translation by A. Nikulina
Dang Can is a wonderful artist from Vietnam. The full name of the author of colorful and positive paintings is Dang van Can. Born in 1957. He became interested in painting at an early age. The artist's talent woke up quite early and already in his youth he amazed everyone around him with his abilities. At the age of 19, Dang Can became the main illustrator for local magazines and newspapers. His works were so piercing, clear, understandable, colorful and joyful that the name of the young artist soon became very famous in Vietnam, and then outside the country. Currently, his paintings are in the collections of connoisseurs of professional art in many countries around the world.
The work of the Vietnamese artist Dang Can is a true love for one's homeland. The author of those paintings that you can see below can be safely called one of the national artists. Like Levitan or Shishkin, who made Russian landscapes famous all over the world with their ingenious art, Dang Can tries to express all the unbridled beauty of exotic Vietnam through his original art. His landscapes and genre scenes are always kind and as positive as possible. It depicts views of small villages that are lost in the forests of Vietnam, fishermen and ordinary inhabitants of remote settlements. Such Vietnam is not seen by an ordinary tourist. This is Vietnam through the eyes of a native. The artist, with the help of his painting, depicts not just beautiful landscapes and scenes from peaceful life, but the real soul of the country, its essence, traditions and foundations.
The art of this artist is remarkable not only for its design, kindness and sincerity. The technique of creating paintings is also interesting. Dang Can follows traditional Vietnamese painting techniques and also uses his own technique, which allows him to create really interesting and captivating painting subjects. You can even say that the paintings of this author are a kind of Vietnamese impressionism. The main attention here is paid not to details and precise drawing, but to the expression of mood, which is literally in the air.
The ancient and original art of Vietnam has evolved over many centuries. The talented people of this country have created many wonderful monuments of artistic creativity.
The formation of modern painting took place in difficult conditions and is characterized by a number of features. Its source was the classical art of the Middle Ages, but by the beginning of the 20th century it no longer met the new requirements and ideals. The colonization of the country by France clearly affected its development, as a result of which various elements of European culture penetrated into Vietnam. During this period, a rethinking of the medieval heritage took place, due to acquaintance with the best picturesque examples of Europe.
An important role was played by the opening in 1924 of the Higher School of Fine Arts of Indochina in Hanoi. The main emphasis in it was on teaching the basics of European painting, but the old art was also studied. It was in the appeal to national origins that the progressive significance of this educational institution lay. Many artists studied there, aiming to revive the ancient original art. Thanks to their efforts, ancient silk painting regains its importance, and a new lacquer technique is being developed. It is these species that are currently of the greatest interest.
Suman, Hoan Van Thuan. Varnish. 1982. Rice cleaning. Lacquer engraving. 1981. 67 X 48.
Painting on silk has been known since the early Middle Ages. Old masters wrote on long horizontal and vertical strips of silk or soft rice paper, to which wooden rollers were attached along the edges. Water-based mineral and vegetable paints were used. The finished product was inserted into a frame of patterned silk. The rebirth of this ancient art form is associated with the name of the outstanding Vietnamese artist Nguyen Phan Tian, whose paintings were a great success at the 1931 International Exhibition in Paris. For his clothes, Nguyen Fan Tian chose thin, translucent silk, worked with ink and watercolor. The charm of his work was so great that many of his fellow artists followed the example of the master.
The successes of easel lacquer technology were not very significant at first. Artists in the 1920s and 1930s took only the first steps in mastering it. But decorative lacquer paintings have been known in Vietnam since the 2nd millennium AD. The lacquer was obtained from the sap of shea and cham trees, defended for several months in a dark room. Its uppermost layer was used to prepare the best quality black lacquer, the second layer was used for mixing with dyes, the lacquer resin was used for the primary processing of products. The palette of the old masters consisted of only a few colors - gold, black, brown, red, since other dyes darken when mixed with varnish. Colored compositions covered the wooden parts of architectural structures, temple sculptures, furniture, screens, decorative boxes, vases. The use of varnish in easel painting required a change in technology and color palette.
Nguyen Lyon Tsu Bak. Road to Zhao Shan village. Silk, watercolor. 1982. 58 X 76.
After the victory of the August Revolution of 1945, national art received a new impetus. The process of its formation was successful, despite the wars with the French colonialists, the American aggressors. During this difficult period for the country, progressive Vietnamese artists put their talent at the service of the people. Together with the fighters of the People's Army, they made long marches and took part in battles. Their sketches, drawings glorified the exploits of soldiers and partisans, the labor achievements of the peasants. Cultural life did not stop. In 1948, two studios of lacquer painting began to operate in the northern mountainous region of Vietbac, where, along with teaching students, painting techniques were improved. In 1950, an art school was opened here, the director of which was the famous painter To Ngoc Van.
During the years of the armistice (1954-1965), the artists of North Vietnam had ample opportunities for creativity. Art institutes are reopening in Hanoi, a number of exhibitions are being organized both domestically and abroad. They are evidence of the successful development of a new national art, especially easel painting.
How was the work on the piece going? The base is prepared first. For her, they take a dry, light tree, sometimes pressed plywood. On the board, pasted over on all sides with cotton fabric to protect against cracks, several layers of soil are applied from a specially prepared composition, which includes kaolin, small sawdust and raw varnish. Each layer is dried and carefully polished with pumice.
After applying the primer, the board is covered with several layers of black or brown varnish, each of which is also polished. Then a preliminary drawing is applied, then the master begins to work with varnish paints - corrections here are almost impossible. The surface of the painting is polished first with rice straw and finally by hand. By the 1960s, the color palette of easel paintings had expanded. White, blue, pink, purple, various shades of green were added to the traditional colors.
NguyenVanTi. Fishermen at the mouth of the Han and Khoy rivers. Varnish. 1982. 125 X 190.
The painting of Vietnam reached its real flourishing after the unification of the country. Artists from the North and the South were given the opportunity to work together. Over the past years, a galaxy of young talents has been brought up in the art institutes and schools of the country. The oldest masters continue to work successfully.
One of them is Chan Van Kang, an honorary academician of the Academy of Arts of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. He studied in the 30s at the Higher School of Fine Arts. He worked in various techniques, but most clearly his talent manifested itself in oil and varnish painting. Chan Wan Kang is always faithful to his inherent painting style, in which the "free brush" is combined with the use of gold and silver powder. He was among the first to use this material. Gold powder, topped with a transparent brown lacquer, gave the most beautiful color effects. One of the artist's latest works - "Thu Kieu and Kim Chong" - was created based on the famous poem by the medieval poet Nguyen Du "The Lamentations of a Tortured Soul", which tells about the severe trials that befell lovers. On a black background, a gusty line outlines the figures of a young man and a girl playing the nguete, the national musical instrument. Chan Wan Kang perfectly uses the mysterious shimmer of gold on a black lacquer background to convey a sense of inner tension, anxiety:
... I tuned the lute to be true
There were four melodious, restless strings...
Smooth sounds - the breath of the earth,
the whistle of the wind and the hubbub of the cicadas.
Rapid sounds like rain
like a whirlwind waterfall.
The flame flickers in the lamp. Garden
embraced by a strange languor; and that
Who listened so passionately
looking into the darkness around
I want to cry and sing myself.
Otherwise, other masters use gold powder - Nguyen Van Ti and Nguyen Van Binh. In the painting “Fishermen at the Mouth of the Han and Hoi Rivers,” Nguyen Van Ti depicted the return of fishermen from a successful fishing trip. In the foreground they are busy mending their nets, behind them a group of men is carrying wet gear to dry. In the background, on the blue-green expanse of the sea, many boats with unfolded sails. They are clearly drawn against the red background of the sky. To effectively highlight the silhouette of the sails, the master uses an unusual technique - he sticks pieces of fabric on the surface of the picture, and then covers them with thin sheets of yellow foil. The bright beauty of the landscape, the radiance of sparkles help the artist convey the mood of festivity.
Quang Tho. Old militia. Varnish. 1984. 90 X 120.
In the painting “Landscape in Khao Binh Province”, Nguyen Van Binh depicted a small village among flowering trees. The work is distinguished by its coloristic sonority - red earth, brownish-yellow bamboo trunks, the silhouette of blue-green mountains. The artist uses gold powder to convey the glow of the sky, thicker sheets of foil emphasize the clear graphic nature of the trees. Another means of expression was eggshell inlay. She is filled with the clothes of peasant women, the figure of a horse. Shallow recesses are cut out in the varnish, pieces of the shell are placed in them, which are fixed with a hammer. At the same time, a network of picturesque cracks forms on the eggshell. For the first time this technique began to be used in the 30-40s.
The artist Kuang Tho also works with this material. The background for his painting "Old Militiaman" is made using the inner and outer surfaces of the shell, which have different shades of white. On this conditional, mosaic-like background, the figures of an old man with a machine gun and girls are highlighted. The laconism of the compositional construction, the dark, disturbing coloring of the picture reveal its main idea - the determination of the Vietnamese people to defend their independence.
Along with painting with lacquer paints of large
traditional lacquer engraving has achieved success. Old masters used it to create decorative items. Modern artists perform easel paintings in this way. The background is usually lacquer, where a pattern is cut out, filled with tempera or lacquer paints. In the technique of engraving on lacquer, Su Man, Hoan Van Thuan, Nguyen Ngia Duen work a lot and fruitfully. Their work is characterized by increased decorativeness. The main means of expression is the contrast between shiny varnish and matte, colored surfaces. In Nguyen Ngia Duyen's Ho Chi Minh and the Pioneers, the cool lacquer sheen is enhanced by the use of warm pinks, reds and purples.
DangQuiHoa. The Hook Bridge. Silk, Watercolor. 1982. 45 X 60.
Painting on silk remains the most refined type of national art. True, some craftsmen adhere to classical techniques and use natural silk soaked in a special rice water, which prevents the colors from flowing freely. Others write on artificial silk, which is not subjected to special processing. European watercolors are used, much less often - mineral and vegetable. To obtain the effect of blurring colors, they also write on wet silk.
Many older artists prefer traditional writing. Nang Hien is one of them. This master, who did not receive an art education, is distinguished by an exquisite painting style. He carefully works with the texture, paints so thinly that the silvery basis of silk shines through them. He writes with local color planes, outlining them with an expressive line. Adhering to the traditions of classical painting, Nang Hien often decorates his paintings with patterned silk. A large place in his work is occupied by portraits of girls of various nationalities of Vietnam.
In painting on silk, the influence of the founder of this type of art, Nguyen Phan Tian, is still noticeable. Here, for example, is Huynh Phuong Dong's painting "Partisan from the Kuti District." She, as it were, continues the portrait gallery of female images, begun by her elder brother.
Nang Hien. Ziao girl. Silk, watercolor. 1980. 40 X 60.
High civic consciousness is characteristic of many works by Vietnamese masters who create works dedicated to the heroic past of their country, the theme of peaceful life. Pham Thanh Liem, in The Steel Mill Militias, writes of a group of young people heading to their work shift with weapons on their backs. Dang Kui Hoa in the painting "The Hook Bridge" depicts a favorite place for Hanoi people to walk - a bridge on the Lake of the Returned Sword in the center of the capital. This work is connected with the heroic past of the Vietnamese people. Outlining the silhouette of an ancient pagoda in the background, the master, as it were, throws a bridge into the past, reminiscent of a medieval legend associated with the Lake of the Returned Sword. Tradition tells that in ancient times the country was attacked by hordes of enemies. The liberation struggle was led by the fisherman Le Loy. Once, when he was sitting in thought on the shore of the lake, a turtle swam out of its depths and handed him a magic sword. Le Loy led his brave army into battle and won a decisive victory, driving the invaders out of the country. And the amazing blade was returned to the turtle, which is what the modern name of the lake reminds of.
Modern artists with amazing skill convey in painting on silk the lush flowering of trees, delicate flower petals, rice fields covered with emerald greenery. Painters are concerned about life in all its manifestations. Here the peasants rush to the market in the morning, busy planting the peasant woman's rice. The tonal transitions of transparent watercolor seem to dissolve people and objects in a light-air environment.
The Vietnamese painting of our days, marked by high artistic merit, demonstrates a lively and close connection with the life of the people, and successfully develops the best traditions of the ancient national art.
