Minimalist artist exhibits Zen-influenced paintings
Minimalist painter Le Thiet Cuong, one of Vietnam’s most famous contemporary artists, is presenting his latest works at the Vincom Centre for Contemporary Art (VCCA) in Hanoi.
Hanoi (VNA) - Minimalist painter Le Thiet Cuong, oneof Vietnam’s most famous contemporary artists, is presenting his latest worksat the Vincom Centre for Contemporary Art (VCCA) in Hanoi.
Entitled Bong va Hinh (Shadow and Shape), the on-goingexhibition displays 22 oil-on-canvas paintings created in 2016 and 2017. Theartworks were inspired by the simple, familiar things in life: streets, houses,trees, rivers and furniture.
“These are the ingredients for my works, but perhaps theycould be seen differently through the exhibition and evoke something else,rather than just being some shadows and shapes,” the artist said.
Thieu Nu Om Meo (Young Woman with Cat) by Pham Luc
Since beginning his journey with minimalism 30 years ago, the56-year-old artist has practiced the minimalist style in every way possible.
In Shadow and Shape, exhibition goers can see a uniqueapproach to minimalism as the paintings reflect the influence of Buddhism andthe idea of Zen.
“Maybe the artist wants to create a new‘art-meditation’ approach where art has symbolic and suggestive values,” saidart critic Phan Cam Thuong.
At 10.30am on May 5, the minimalist painter joined some otherartists for a discussion about art.
Cho Ca (Fish Market) by Pham Luc
Together with the Shadow and Shape, the VCCA is also hostinganother exhibition featuring 60 pieces by veteran painter Pham Luc, one of themost renowned painters in Vietnam. The works were selected by artist andcurator Cuong from Nguyen Si Dung’s private collection of 700 artworks.
Cuong said: “Luc possesses a liberated, spontaneous spiritwhen it comes to painting. Looking at his works, viewers can easily feel thestrong waves of emotions. For Luc, painting is catching those emotions and putthem on the canvas. His style is quick and direct – no styling, ‘pruning’ orcomplicating what he has painted.”
The two free exhibitions are open to public from 10am to 8pm,Tuesday to Sunday, until May 20. The VCCA is at R3-B1, Vincom Megamall RoyalCity, 72A Nguyen Trai road, Thanh Xuan district.-VNA
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Phat II (Buddha II) by Le Thiet Cuong 
Thieu Nu Om Meo (Young Woman with Cat) by Pham Luc 
Cho Ca (Fish Market) by Pham Luc 
