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Classic, contemporary beauty of Vietnamese women reflected

The beauty of Vietnamese women in the silk paintings by the late artist Mai Trung Thu inspired young artist Nguyen Ngoc Vu (Rabbit Boy) to create a series of paintings with the theme of “Dep Contemporary”.

Drawing on the neo-classic beauty in Thu’s paintings, Vu hopes to introduce a new perspective on the timeless beauty of Vietnamese women.

The project includes five artworks recreating the image of elegant, graceful Vietnamese young women in a contemporary context. Pop-art, modern images displayed at the Lotte Department Store and on print goodies are the bridge between the quintessence of Vietnamese culture and the souls of art enthusiasts.

Thu (1906-80) was the master of Vietnamese silk paintings. After graduating from Class I of Indochina College of Fine Arts, he specialised in oil-on-canvas paintings at first, then switched to silk paintings and made a name for himself with this art.

From 1936, he decided to reside in France, but always bore a part of the homeland in his soul. His artworks have a strong sense of tradition, with images of Vietnamese women in daily life: combing their hair, chatting, having tea and praying; and of kids playing by the river, wrestling and learning embroidery.

With bright, lucid colours and sophisticated lines, his silk paintings express a distinct style of art. With a touch of elegance and romanticism, they bring exceptional emotions to the viewers.

Vu graduated with a Graphic Design degree in Malaysia. He is one of a few young artists passionate about Vietnamese traditions who has found himself a place in the art scene with artworks inspired by Vietnamese culture.

The exhibition will run until September 2 at the 5th floor of Lotte Department Store, 54 Lieu Giai street, Hanoi.
VNA/VNP


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