The solo exhibition “Wind Path, Cloud Path” by artist Nguyen Hoa was inspired by the emotional and delicate verses of the late poet Han Mac Tu. Nguyen Hoa (1978, Hue) launched his first solo exhibition, an important milestone marking his exposure to the public beyond the previous artistic limits.
The male artist said, "The wind follows its own path, the clouds follow their own path" (excerpt from the poem "This is Vi Da village" by Han Mac Tu) shows separation and hesitation. It reminds us of the people, landscapes and art of Hue. It brings moments of silence, relaxation, calmness and gentleness, but is also mysterious enough to attract the public's gaze. Many motifs in the painting frame were also carved by him, exuding the typical architectural features of the Nguyen Dynasty.
"The Wind and the Clouds" is inspired by the emotional verses of the late poet Han Mac Tu.
The work titled "Wandering Clouds" is created like clouds floating in space.
“The Wind and Clouds” brings together 26 works including lacquer paintings and installations created by the artist from 2015 to the present. Artist Nguyen Hoa carefully selects words and chooses lacquer to highlight his serious artistic practice. Beyond responding to space and context, his works also encapsulate the finite nature of time and the constant constraints and changes within the art world.
The works in the exhibition all bear the ancient architectural features of Hue Citadel. Behind that is also the focal point, a metaphor for the habits in lifestyle and creation that any artist in the ancient capital is more or less strongly influenced by. The male artist uses and fully exploits the characteristics of traditional lacquer with a classic color palette: red, yellow, black and a red background... Practicing art with lacquer is considered relatively difficult because it is affected by weather and climate factors.
Having been formally trained in sculpture, Nguyen Hoa continues to apply carving techniques in the process of creating and crafting picture frames. In addition to lacquer, the artist uses many natural materials such as wood, charcoal or hill stone for this exhibition.
Each work of art by the male artist depicts behind it an inner world.
Painter Nguyen Hoa said that when he creates, he erases more than he adds. While painting, he searches for what he wants to express in his work, trying to imagine its shape in his head. Especially with lacquer, when the layers of paint are polished, they create different streaks, they will follow that flow of emotions instead of following a pre-existing standard. Lacquer is abstract, just paint many layers of paint, then gradually polish to reveal each layer of the painting, sometimes I plan to paint like this, but after polishing, it becomes a new work.
In particular, each of the artist's works depicts an inner world behind it. He constantly dialogues and continuously responds to them over time, slowly completing the painting with awareness and self-control. Each of these creations is like a window opening to the painter's inner world, binding the inspiration of painting and poetry. None of the paintings in the exhibition has an independent name. But all the scenes together form a whole, creating a quiet space, hiding in the dynamic world we live in.
Lacquer paintings titled "Landscape". The squares spread across some of the works, recreating the image of small windows on the gates of tombs and relics in the ancient capital of Hue.
The artist uses traditional lacquer to create black, cockroach brown or gold leaf colors for his works.
Formally trained in sculpture, Nguyen Hoa sees painting as a complementary means of expressing his artistic spirit, a medium that both reflects and resists the notion of time. Each of his works is meticulously crafted, intentionally scarce, forming part of a series of contemplative reflections, sometimes consisting of no more than three works.
Nguyen Hoa constantly dialogues and responds to them over time, perfecting them through a slow, conscious and self-controlled dance. The leisurely yet painstaking state that spans the entire creative process becomes a self-portrait, a thoughtful performance that delves into the deepest recesses of emotion and depth.
The sculpture "Work for the New Year" was made over nearly a decade, showing the diligent, painstaking, slow artistic style of Hue artists.
Discussing the painting style of artist Nguyen Hoa, curator Do Tuong Linh shared: "Nguyen Hoa chose lacquer, a material 'tailor-made' for his own leisurely and calm practice. Throughout this series of works, ancient architectural details act as a frame, a subtle metaphor for habits and conflicts, dissecting scenes, rituals, habits and rules not only about history and heritage, but also about the very structure of existence that any artist living and working in the ancient capital of Hue inevitably carries with them."
The image of the cocoon in Nguyen Hoa's paintings. Expressing the desire to break through and transform of the male artist from Hue.
Painter Nguyen Hoa graduated with a Bachelor of Sculpture from Hue College of Arts. Since 2012, he has been working as a freelance artist, his practice focusing mainly on painting, sculpture and wood carving. Although he has only maintained his presence at a modest level, Nguyen Hoa has participated in many domestic and international exhibitions. Some notable events include: the exhibition “The Lost Images” at Ganesha Gallery, Netherlands (2010); group exhibition in Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2018); group exhibition in Chiang Mai, Thailand (2018); “Boom Boom” contemporary art week in Hue (2020)…
The exhibition "Wind and Cloudy Path" by artist Nguyen Hoa is open until January 28, 2024 at Mo Art Space, 136 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.
Many motifs in the picture frame were also carved by him, exuding the typical architectural features of the Nguyen Dynasty.
