“Watching his brush’s line on canvas streaming cooly as smooth as the water, we seem to see the flame inside. His brush seems like an uncontrollable horse trying to both escape from the artist’s control and learn from the viewers feelings”.
Poet Tran Manh Hao about Painter Trinh Thanh Tung
HCMCITY – An exhibition of 27 oil paintings by a group of five veteran painters is on display at the Phuong Mai Art Gallery in HCMC.
The painters, who have had numerous domestic and overseas exhibitions, range in age from 55 to 67.

The work of one of the painters, La Hon, who has received both national and international awards, is both simple and abstract.
“I was at first influenced by Modigliani because I really liked the deep eyes which he painted,” he said. “Step by step, I found my own style to express my feelings.”
Lê Thanh, who is also exhibiting his work, won a scholarship to France and in 1962 showed his work Bidding Farewell in the first International Fine Arts Exhibition in Vietnam.

Another artist in the show, Hồ Hữu Thủ, won a silver medal in an international competition in 1960 and a second prize in the National Fine Arts competition.
Thủ, who is deeply immersed in the Buddhist tradition, shows his spiritual side through his vibrantly colourful and rhythmic paintings that exude a sense of tenderness and romance.

One of the most talented artists in Vietnam and a follower of Zen, Đỗ Duy Tuấn paints mostly women, usually in somber and dreamlike moods, using mixed media.He has received numerous awards from competitions and has exhibited overseas, and twice received the Certificate of Recognition from the Philip Morris Group of Companies ASEAN Art Awards.

Trịnh Thanh Tùng, whose work is also on display, won in 1997 a Medal for Vietnam Arts.
Poet Trần Mạnh Hảo says Tùng draws “as if he was playing and dreaming, sometimes as real as nature”.
“Watching his brush’s line on canvas streaming cooly as smooth as the water, we seem to see the flame inside. His brush seems like an uncontrollable horse trying to both escape from the artist’s control and learn from the viewers feelings,” he said.

The exhibition ends on March 15th at Phương Mai Art Gallery at 129B Lê Thánh Tôn Street, District 1, HCMCity. – VNS