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The Vincom Contemporary Art Center (VCCA) has opened the exhibition "Looking Back at the Past and Looking Towards the Future," showcasing 100 paintings by three artists: Ly Truc Son, Ca Le Thang, and Dao Minh Tri. The exhibition celebrates the enduring creative journey and significant influence of these artists in modern Vietnamese art. It also commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam Fine Arts University (1925-2025), which has laid the foundation for training many generations of artists.
The "Looking Back on the Past" exhibition officially opened on September 13th.
Three artists of the same age, all graduates of the 7-year junior high school and 5-year university programs at the Vietnam College of Fine Arts, yet each coming from a different region, carrying with them their own memories, materials, and local symbols. These experiences have become the foundation for them to create unique artistic worldviews, both personal and deeply connected to tradition.
The paintings of artist Dao Minh Tri combine geometric shapes and folk decorative elements in their use of color and brushstrokes, striking a balance between individuality and tradition.
Young people visiting the exhibition enjoyed creating sculptures based on the paintings.
The painting "Human - Fish 5" by artist Dao Minh Tri
While Dao Minh Tri is known for his powerful color palette, where layers of color and brushstrokes combine geometric conventions with folk ornamentation, creating a balance between personal expression and traditional roots, Ca Le Thang impresses with the softness in his visual thinking and the flexibility of color, blending the sophistication of the North with the freedom of the South.
Paintings by artist Ca Le Thang
As for artist Ly Truc Son, before venturing into the world of earth, stone, and plants, he embarked on a long journey with traditional lacquer painting. From there, he developed an "abstract universe" with primal materials that are both familiar and sacred.
Abstract paintings by artist Ly Truc Son
Each step is a unique experience, each artwork a gateway to a new world, both familiar and full of surprises. The small details in the paintings, every brushstroke, color, or symbol invite viewers to decipher their own story.
The exhibition space resembles an emotional map, reflecting the intersection of local, historical, and global elements, as well as the effort to create an independent Vietnamese artistic language. Walking through each space, one can easily recognize the subtle interaction between the artworks, a seamless flow of emotions that is both familiar and unfamiliar.
Pham Bao Phuong (Hanoi) shared: “The exhibition made me reflect on the past and the future. There were paintings that made me pause and think about time, memories, and even how I am living in the present.”
Walking through the exhibition, each person can find their own piece of the puzzle of memories, emotions, and perspectives. For the younger generation, these works are not only lessons in the craft, but also a reminder that art is always nurtured by perseverance and a desire for creativity.
The exhibition "Looking Back at the Past, Looking Towards the Future," open from September 13th to October 26th, 2025, offers a space for the public to contemplate and interpret art's narrative in their own way, while also suggesting possibilities for the future of Vietnamese art. This is not only an opportunity to look back at the past, but also to clearly see the continuity and transformation of art through different periods.
