Opening: Mon 22 Dec 2014, 6 pm
Exhibition: 22 – 27 Dec 2014
Vietnam University of Fine Arts
From the organizer:
We hereby cordially presents a piece of solo exhibition of painter Nguyễn Thụ named “Passage to the East”.
From over 400 sketches, studies and silk paintings by artist Nguyen Thu in the collection of Tira Vanictheeranont, we have built into the book “Nguyen Thu – Passage to the East” throughout 2014. Today we selected some works from the collection to showcase in this exhibition.
Nguyen Thu was born in 1930 in Hoai Duc (the former Ha Tay province, now belonging to Hanoi). He followe the Revolution quite early and during the French war he studied under the master To Ngoc Van. This happened during the time Van tutored some students in the army. The love for art of Nguyen Thu closely associated with the army life during the war. After the war, he went to the Vietnam University of Fine Arts and then became the headmaster. That was a real long and winding road for anyone. If one doesn’t have such patience with arts.
The works of Nguyen Thu though covered many different themes but focused mainly on the war and everyday life subject, especially the lives of Tay people whom he was really close to. But all pieces were presented in the same style and technique. That was the Eastern ink wash style combining with realistic expression, which he was trained from the art school. This distinctive style has made Nguyen Thu become outstanding in the modern silk paintings after Nguyen Phan Chanh.
On this special occasion, we want to express our gratitude to Mr. Tira Vanictheeranont, who wasn’t only a lover of Vietnam art but he was also the person dedicating his time and money to make this book happen. This is also a great introduction to Nguyen Thu art world and life to the Vietnamese audience.
This exhibition also received support from Vietnam University of Fine Arts, Department of Fine Arts and Photography, Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Sport, ACCAviet the organiser as well as many art friends of Nguyen Thu. We are deeply thankful.
Nguyễn Thụ:
Nguyen Thu began his formal art training in a course named after To Ngoc Van. Nguyen Thu’s career started to take off in 1964, the year he graduated from Hanoi College of Fine Arts (currently Vietnam University of Fine Arts). Nguyen Thu was the headmaster from 1985 to 1991.
Despites the life used to marked with military service and the war, but Nguyen Thu is a purely Eastern artist, both in his human sense and creative concepts. His outstanding works are works of silk, water color, guarche and graphic art. His creations has ability to generalize wide landscapes, and capture people and things in daily life, under clear and romantic look. He is a typical face of Vietnamese artists during war time and hard subsidy period.
Tira Vanichtheeranont – BaBaBa Gallery:
Came to Vietnam as an Electrical & Telecom Engineer in 1987, Tira Vanichtheeranont had worked in the Telecom field until 2006. Retired in 2007, he started antiques business and had been collecting Vietnam Modern Art since 2009.
Tira opened 333 GALLERY in Bangkok in 2011. There are about 2000 sketches, drawing and paintings in both oil, water color and color poser in the collection of gallery. Most of these art works are from the painters who studied in the Indochina Fine Arts College during 1925-1945, such as Nguyễn Gia Trí, Bui Xuân Phái, Tô Ngọc Vân and more. For the last few years the Thai collector has made some important books for leading Vietnamese artists and organised several exhibitions in both Bangkok (Thailand), Hanoi and Hochiminh city in Vietnam to promote Vietnamese art. He has also brought leading Thai artists to Viet Nam to paint and hold exhibitions.
ACCAviet
ACCAviet is a group of independent curators and event organizers working together to organize exhibitions and art events for local and international artists in Vietnam.
It is the objective of ACCAviet to collaborate, exchange, and generate dialogues and connection with other artists and independent curators, organizations, institutes, art centers within and outside of Vietnam, towards the goals of creating more opportunities for artists, to nurture and enrich the art scene in Vietnam, to promote the development of contemporary art and cultural environment.
Source internet
