Artist awaits City’s response to show

Opening: Then Cua (The Latch), a lacquer work by veteran artist Ngo Chinh.

He is eager to know how viewers will react to his first ever solo exhibition in HCM City that opened on Sunday at the Tu Do Gallery.

The artist from Ha Noi, who works with lacquer and engraving on copper, completed his art studies at the relatively late age of 50, majoring in interior decoration at the Ha Noi Industrial Fine Arts College. But his love and aptitude for lacquer and sculpture began many years ago.

"Before studying art at school, I improved my painting skills with artists like Manh Quynh, Nguyen Thi Khang and Luong Xuan Nhi," said the 70-year-old Chinh. He said his life experiences helped him learn the art faster and more easily than other amateurs.

Chinh's works have been displayed at solo and group exhibitions both at home and abroad, including Japan and the US.

He's making his debut in HCM City with 30 works that experts say is a new style in local art.

The Cam Xuc (Emotion) collection of 30 lacquer paintings and two copper engravings reflect his love and memory of rural life and people, traditional festivals and landscapes.

His interest in relgious and spiritual issues comes through in the copper engravings, Giao Duong (A Church) and Nha Tho Phat Diem (Phat Diem Church).

Chinh is not interested in the present. For him, the past captures people's passions.

While viewers can be confused by the fact that most of the pictures at the exhibition are in red and black, they will soon find their feelings and memories provoked by the artist's creative use of the colours in lacquer.

"My art is my thinking about people with different emotions – happiness, sadness, love and hate. All of my works are based on memories that make us grieve over what is far off," said Chinh.

A native of the northern province of Hung Yen who lives in Ha Noi, Chinh used to work for the Viet Nam Fine Arts Association, but now works as a free-lance artist.

"This is the first time I am showing my works in HCM City. I'm very eagerly awaiting the response from the local audience," he said.

The exhibition runs until next Thursday at Gallery Tu Do, 53 Ho Tung Mau Street, District 1. Works cost from US$630 to $6,300 each.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News