80/90's

Since the mid-1980's, with the new government policy of openness, Vietnamese art has moved into a new phase in which the artists are allowed to have more freedom of creation and exhibition . As resulted, artists from Viet Nam in recent years have become more exploratory and audacious in their work. Today there is a greater sense of self-confidence and a remarked level of creativity observed in the Vietnamese art. The young artists of Viet Nam are actively establishing their name in the international art world with their originality and personal statements. But not all of today's artists are embracing the avant-garde world. There is an increasingly number of young painters who are trying to return to their cultural root. They find great sources of inspiration from the village art and folklore imagery that surround them. They skillfully blend the native traditions with modern forms and techniques. They help turn to a new chapter in contemporary art, one that is very poetic yet highly expressive and foremost uniquely Vietnamese.

Tran Luu Hau (b. 1928): a painter as well as stage decorator. His paintings are distinguished for the strong sense of color and use of decorative characters of modern art.

Sewing Shirts -1982, Oil (Source A)
Yellow Flowers - 1993, Gouache (Source C)

Tran Trung Tin (b. 1933): a self-taught painter, formerly a cinema actor. His works are filled with personal characters and illness, very expressive and tragic.

A Question of Life - 1980, Oil (Source A)
Twin Soul - 1981, Oil (Source C)

Vu Duy Nghia (1935) indivisualized himself in paper cuttings, illustrations and zinc carvings.

Houses at the foot of the mountain - 1985, Woodcut (Source A)
Paper Toy - 1987, Woodcut (Source A)

Le Dai Chuc (b. 1944): born in an artistic family, a self-taught painter. Lived and painted with Bui Xuan Phai in the early 1980's.

Woman in Black - 1993, Oil (Source C)

Nguyen Quan (b. 1948): an art critic and instructor at the Ha Noi College of Fine Arts. One of the earliest painters that brought modernism into Vietnamese art scene in the early 80's.

Impression of the Sea - 1992, Oil (Source C)

Buu Chi (b. 1948): a self-taught painter noted for his painting style full of philosophical meditation and formed in surrealistic composition.

Resting - 1993, Oil (Source C)
A Man and a Stone Gate - 1994, Mixed techniques on cardboard (Source A)

Nguyen Thanh Binh's (b. 1954) paintings are most noted for their composition, especially the placement of the subject and the use of space. His simple compositional style brought together with the use of subdue color rendered his works an air of natural elegance.


Sitting Nude - 1994, Oil (Source A)

Nguyen Xuan Tiep (b. 1956) specializes in oil on paper. His works focus on Vietnamese traditional themes and subjects.


Singing Buffalo Boys - 1995, Paper (Source A)

Dang Xuan Hoa (b. 1959): one of the most exciting young painters in today's art scene. His works combine native motifs and composition with use of rich and vibrant colors.


Painter and Things - 1995, Oil (Source A)

Le Thanh Son (b. 1962): a graduate in Drama and Cinematography, he approaches painting with the romantic eyes of a film maker.


Autumn Trees - 1993, Oil (Source C)
Village Well - 1994, Oil (Source C)

Tran Trong Vu (b. 1964): belongs to the youngest crop of painters of Viet Nam, with a highly individualistic and expressive style.


A species of Bird - 1994, Oil (Source A)

Dinh Y Nhi (b. 1967): a young and promising female artist of modern painting style. Noted for her powerful and expressive use of black and white in her work.

Memory - 1994, Gouache (Source E)

Trinh Cong Son (b. 1939) composed over 600 songs, both crying for the war and the miseries of the nation, has moved to the world of painters. With his deep memoir and sensitivity and through years of writing songs, he has thought so much about the life of the Vietnamese people.


My World
Portrait of a Painter