Artist Hoang Dinh: "I use visual signals in my paintings so that people can feel the essence of Hanoi."

Surrealist elements in the paintings of artist Hoang Dinh

Artist Hoang Dinh (1953) graduated from vocational school and university at the University of Industrial Fine Arts, and holds a master's degree in Art & Design from the Netherlands. He was in charge of the Graphic Design department at the Open University for 19 years.

He has been passionate about painting since childhood and has continuously practiced painting alongside his graphic design work. Artist Hoang Dinh has participated in many group exhibitions and organized successful solo exhibitions. He has been awarded numerous art prizes both domestically and internationally, and many of his works are preserved in the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Austria, Singapore, and Vietnam.

“Some psychiatrists from abroad come to Vietnam to buy my paintings to treat psychological illnesses and restore balance for patients. The energy in my paintings doesn't bring people down but brings positivity to make life better. My creative inspiration mainly comes from my travels both domestically and internationally, to places where ordinary people live, ancient villages... In each country I visit, I paint about five pictures so that one day I can hold an exhibition in Vietnam to introduce the countries I've been to,” artist Hoang Dinh shared with Travellive.

During the Covid years, when he mostly stayed home, the male artist also painted many different kinds of flowers.

Hanoi through visual cues

In 2023, to mark his 70th birthday, artist Hoang Dinh held a solo exhibition titled "Home," featuring a series of paintings about Hanoi through his own unique expression of memories of Hanoi and his family. The exhibition included works by the artist's four children.

Many artists have painted Hanoi's Old Quarter, but Hoang Dinh's paintings portray it in a very different way. Regardless of the scene, Hanoi always appears vibrant and full of positive energy, rather than gloomy or sad. Thus, viewers can experience each painting with all their senses.

The artist also said that in this exhibition, the inspiration for many of the paintings comes from songs about Hanoi, and he hopes viewers can feel this.

“This time, while painting Hanoi, I listened to a lot of Hanoi music. I listened to the lyrics written by composers who poured their love for Hanoi into their work. When painting each street corner and alleyway while listening to Hanoi music, sometimes I even shivered because I felt like it reflected my own life, from the simplest things. My main goal was to convey visual signals along with my own dreams and to feel the dreams of others to create art,” said painter Hoang Dinh.

“I just wanted to express a thought about life, and in this exhibition, it's the streets of Hanoi that I have memories of or dream about. I took those images from my dreams and expressed them through my brushstrokes, in colors and shapes. For me, those Hanoi streets are not just images and memories from my past, but also streets for everyone. Everyone has a street, a house within themselves. I want to connect those visual signals, those dreams, with everyone's memories and dreams, so that viewers can share the same thoughts. Everyone has their own story on that street corner,” the male artist said.

Having pursued painting as a lifelong career and having had many successful group and solo exhibitions, artist Hoang Dinh still couldn't hide his emotion when talking about "Home." Sharing about the exhibition's concept, artist Hoang Dinh also said that the exhibition's name comes from the meaning of children growing up, traveling far and wide, and now returning to reunite with their parents. The children's paintings are meant to congratulate their father on his 70th birthday.

The artist added that the exhibition was also an opportunity for him to reminisce about his childhood, the many memories and recollections of Hanoi streets, and the images he often dreams about. Each painting is a memory, a story. His children's paintings, on the other hand, reflect their thoughts, feelings, and memories of their family during their childhood.

"I only put my name on a few of the paintings; the rest are untitled so that those who have lived in Hanoi can feel and imagine every street corner and alleyway for themselves," the artist confided.

At 70 years old, artist Hoang Dinh still retains his passion for painting. He also has very long-term projects in mind. In 2025, artist Hoang Dinh plans to present another exhibition at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum with a completely new theme and a unique style unlike anyone else's.

Phuong Thao is an editor at Travellive magazine. She is passionate about traveling and enjoys capturing moments with her camera in every place she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are Phuong Thao's favorite writing topics.

Phuong Thao