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The exhibition 'Revival' presents works depicting a time of war and the return of life to places previously devastated by conflict. This art exhibition is a unique duet between sketches by the late artist Pham Thanh Tam (1933 - 2019) and watercolors by contemporary artist Dinh Quang Hai (Hai Tre, 1977).
The space for the "Resurrection" exhibition.
The journeys of the two artists span two different time periods, but ultimately form a continuous diary of the lands, current events, and people they encountered. Both focus on the 'documentary' and 'research' nature of their work while simultaneously maintaining harmony and aesthetic appeal.
The paintings of the late artist Pham Thanh Tam, who "told the story of war through painting," were quick sketches made with charcoal and ink from bottles tucked in his jacket pocket, paintings created amidst the roar of fighter planes and the explosions of bombs and bullets. From 1954 to the 1960s and 1970s, he tirelessly sketched on the battlefield, in trenches and tunnels, documenting the lives and battles of the soldiers at Dien Bien Phu and the people of the war-torn areas of Vinh Linh, Quang Binh, and Ha Tinh.
Sketches by the late artist Pham Thanh Tam are displayed alongside watercolor paintings by artist Hai Tre.
More than fifty years later, as Vietnam had just gone through two long years with the Covid pandemic, artist Dinh Quang Hai (also known as Hai Tre) packed his bags and set off to paint the landscapes of the country and the lifestyles and activities of its people in the present day. He chose the provinces and cities that the late artist Pham Thanh Tam had visited to begin his "Painting-Traveling-Bamboo" project and to record his feelings about those once-war-land regions through the eyes of the contemporary world.
The "Resurrection" exhibition, therefore, offers the public and viewers a different approach to war and peace. There, they are like stepping onto a train traveling between two points in time in Vietnam's history, contemplating the changes in the land. In a space where works from wartime and peacetime are interwoven, the exhibition hopes to offer a truly fascinating and thought-provoking duet.
Visitors admire the paintings at the exhibition's opening.
At the exhibition's opening, Ms. Ngo Tran Hoang Khuyen, CEO of Lotus Gallery, delivered a humane and passionate message: “Ms. Xuan Phuong has spent over 30 years tirelessly searching for and discovering young artistic talents, helping them develop, and contributing to the creation of many renowned artists in the art world. This is also the core value system that the new version of Lotus Gallery has been pursuing. And artist Hai Tre is the first element in this journey of ours.”
The "Revival" exhibition also marks a new phase for Lotus Gallery: “With the aspiration and mission to be a cradle, a place to discover young talents, and from there, support them to develop, shine, and flourish in their profession, we established the Lotus Foundation, sponsored by Lotus Gallery Company. Along with the commitment and support of our group of collectors, partners, and collaborators, we feel empowered and have unwavering faith in a generation of talented Vietnamese artists who will shine and reach global heights,” Ms. Ngo Tran Hoang Khuyen emotionally added.
Artist Hai Tre next to Ms. Nguyen Xuan Phuong.
Established in 1991, Lotus Gallery is one of the first private art galleries in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), aiming to nurture, develop, and bring Vietnamese painting to the world stage. Over the past thirty years, under the leadership of its founder, Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan Phuong, Lotus Gallery has gradually transformed from a local art shop into an organization that hosts exhibitions for Vietnamese painters and artists in many countries across Asia, Europe, Australia, and the Americas.
