Nguyen Thanh Vu was born in 1995, graduated from Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture and has a great passion for painting, especially oil painting. He believes that painting is also culture and reflects the nature of the times. Pursuing the Post-Impressionist school, the author wishes to convey the strength, vitality, enthusiasm as well as youthfulness and peace through his works.
Nguyen Thanh Vu was born in 1995, graduated from Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture and has a great passion for painting, especially oil painting.
"Tu tinh tu linh" is a collection of paintings introducing sacred animals in Vietnamese cultural history, focusing on 4 typical dynasties: Ly, Tran, Hau Le and Nguyen. Starting from the formation of independent Vietnamese art - Ly Dynasty, from political exchanges, cultural assimilation and conscious exchange with Champa art, to the last feudal dynasty - Nguyen Dynasty; sacred animals began to appear, perfected in terms of aesthetics, can be seen in architecture and sculpture and became an existence closely associated with the life, religion and beliefs of Vietnamese people.
Nguyen Thanh Vu spent more than a year researching many documents and conducting field surveys.
Magnetism represents gentleness, modesty, and closeness to people thanks to ancestor worship, Buddhism, and Confucianism.
In addition to the four sacred animals including Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle, and Phoenix, in the Vietnamese religious culture, there are many other sacred animals, including animals close to humans, such as dogs, horses, cats, buffaloes, elephants, etc. This will be an opportunity for everyone to know more about the stories, legends, and ancient concepts that formed the beliefs of the Vietnamese people and are still preserved today.
The work "Nine Dragons"
The work "Fire Phoenix"
Nguyen Thanh Vu spent more than a year researching a lot of documents and doing field surveys, for example, visiting relics in Hue to understand the Nguyen Dynasty's art and culture or Thang Long Imperial Citadel to understand the sacred animals of the Ly and Tran dynasties... He also went to Cambodia and Thailand to learn about the Cham culture in the regions. Reading documents alone is not enough, the author went to the place to touch, look closely at the details and traces of time. When knowing clearly about what is standing in front of you, combined with the space, location and the mark of time... the emotions brought are hard to describe.
"It is no longer just the beauty of aesthetics but also the mark of the times, of events, of historical witnesses, along with the feeling of admiration for the talent and achievements of our ancestors... or the story of how the works still exist until now and we have the opportunity to admire them... Filling in knowledge and adding more experience and emotions, that is how I created the look for this collection within the next year", Nguyen Thanh Vu shared.
The work "Lynx"
The work "Chrysanthemum turns into phosphorus"
History is a stream consisting of official history (official stories), legends (mysterious spiritual stories) and suppositions (stories passed down among the people). Each dynasty will have a stream and through each animal image, perhaps we will see the shadow of the reigning dynasties; just as through each painting, perhaps each person will receive something interesting from their ancestors.
Through the collection "The Four Spirits' Magnetism", Nguyen Thanh Vu conveys the message: "Vietnam has a rich cultural and historical foundation, and this collection of sacred animals is also part of that treasure. The Egyptians painted what they knew existed, their paintings focused on signs to identify the painted objects; the Greeks painted what they saw; medieval artists painted what they felt...
And today's art both synthesizes the above things of our ancestors and expands further. This collection also follows the flow of the times, partly so that everyone can name the sacred animals in Vietnamese culture and history, partly to convey the strong vitality and sacredness through the images along with the stories and meanings that the sacred animals represent.
The work "Fish turns into dragon"
The work "Taurus"
The exhibition "Four Sacred Animals Magnetism" takes place from March 1 to March 10, 2024 at The World Artspace, 21 Vo Truong Toan, Thao Dien Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City.
