Hanoi (VNA) - 'In the dream', an art exhibition byestablished artist Nguyen Van Cuong, is one of a series of cultural activitiesbeing held by the Republic of Korea (RoK) Cultural Centre.

It isbeing held towards enhancing the relationship between the Vietnamese and the Koreanpeople, said Kim Heijin, the RoK Embassy’s cultural counsellor, at the openingceremony. 

Theexhibition is showcasing 39 paintings, which include the works he painted manyyears ago and the ones he just completed. The exhibition is being held on theoccasion of the 25th anniversary of the relationship between Vietnamand South Korea.

"Therelationship between the two countries can be seen as a dream, with outstandingachievements in many fields, including culture exchange," said thecounsellor.

"Throughculture, Vietnam and the Republic of Korea, which have a geographicaldistance become more close and a family alliance. The cultural centre not onlyintroduces Korean culture to the Vietnamese, but also seeks opportunities topromote a bilateral cultural exchange between the two countries," he said.

AlthoughCuong was born in Hanoi, he is devoted towards capturing the Vietnamesecountryside in his paintings. 

Thepaintings in “In the dream” comprise different drawingmediums, such as oil paintings, lacquer paintings, pastels, carved wood andpoonah paper. Many of them express the artist’s mixed feelings and nostalgiatowards the northern countryside of Vietnam. 

Theseromantic and dreamy scenes bring back childhood memories and express his desireto get away from the city life bound by narrow streets.

"Itis the homeland of his heart and hopefully will be the homeland of theexhibition viewers," said Cuong about his 16th solo display. 

Bearingthe same name as the exhibition title, the painting In the dream is28cm by 38cm. Cuong painted the painting this year, which is one of his mostfavourite paintings at the exhibition.

Cuongtook 20 years, from 1997 to 2017, to paint another pastel, entitled Trangxua (Moon in the past). The painting is sized at 60cm by 75cm. 

"Thepainting was nearly completed in 1997 but I felt it was not perfect," saidCuong. "Until this year, preparing for the exhibition at the RoK CulturalCentre, I remembered it and finished the painting with a small detail."

An oilpainting entitled Duong dai (Long way,) sized at 40cm by 50cm,is one of a series, with the same theme that the artist has followed for nearly30 years. The painting features a little girl and her buffalo turning theirbacks to the viewers. The characters look sad and don’t know where they goingto, under the gloomy sky. 

Graduatingfrom the Vietnam University of Fine Arts in 1989, Cuong is a member ofthe Vietnam Fine Arts Association. His artworks are on display atthe Vietnam Fine Arts Museum and comprise many Vietnamese and foreignpersonal collections. He has had many solo and group exhibitions in Vietnam,the United States, the United Kingdom and Finland, as well as  Norway, Japanand others. 

Theexhibition will run until December 18 at 49 Nguyen Du Street, Hanoi.-VNA