Vincom Center for Contemporary Art (VCCA) opened the exhibition "Hoi Co Vong Lai", introducing 100 paintings by three artists: Ly Truc Son, Ca Le Thang and Dao Minh Tri. The exhibition is an opportunity to honor the long-lasting creative journey and the important influence of artists in modern Vietnamese fine arts. The exhibition is also a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam University of Fine Arts (1925 - 2025), which has laid the foundation for training many generations of artists.
The exhibition "Retrospective Looking Forward" officially opened on September 13.
Three artists of the same age, graduated from the 7-year junior high school and 5-year university program of the Vietnam College of Fine Arts, but each came from a different land, bringing with them their own memories, materials and native symbols. It is these experiences that have become the foundation for them to create unique artistic worldviews, both personal and connected to tradition.
Paintings by artist Dao Minh Tri, layers of color and brushstrokes combine geometry and folk decoration, balancing the personal and the traditional.
Young people coming to the exhibition enjoyed creating shapes based on the paintings.
Painting "Human - Fish 5" by artist Dao Minh Tri
While Dao Minh Tri is known for his strong color palette, where color layers and brushstrokes combine geometric conventions with folk decorations, creating a balance between personal expression and traditional sources, Ca Le Thang impresses with his softness in his creative thinking and the flexibility of colors, blending the sophistication of the North with the freedom of the South.
Painting by artist Ca Le Thang
As for painter Ly Truc Son, before entering the world of rocks, trees and plants, he had gone through a long journey with traditional lacquer. From there, he developed an "abstract universe" with original materials that were both familiar and sacred.
"Abstract" painting by artist Ly Truc Son
Each step is a unique experience, each work is a door opening to a new world, both familiar and full of surprises. The small details in the paintings, each stroke, color or symbol invite viewers to decode their own story.
The exhibition space is like an emotional map, reflecting the intersection between the local, historical and global, and the effort to create an independent Vietnamese artistic language. Passing through each space, each person can easily recognize the silent interaction between the works, the seamless flow of emotions, both strange and familiar.
Pham Bao Phuong (Hanoi) shared: “The exhibition made me think about the past and the future. There were paintings that made me stop and think about time, memories and how I am living in the present.”
Walking through the exhibition, everyone can find their own piece of memory, emotion and perspective. For the younger generation, these works are not only lessons about the profession, but also a reminder that art is always nurtured by perseverance and creative aspirations.
The exhibition "Hoi Co Vong Lai" opens from September 13 to October 26, 2025, providing a space for the public to contemplate and read the story of art in their own way, while also suggesting possibilities for the future of Vietnamese fine arts. This is not only an opportunity to look back at the past, but also to see clearly the continuity and transformation of art through each period.
