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Artist Tran Nguyen (32 years old) was born in Nam Dinh. He comes from a rural area filled with childhood memories and experiences. This served as a cradle nurturing his soul, and through his brushstrokes, he depicts scenes of the Northern Vietnamese countryside, recreating them like a film reel rewinding through time.
Artist Tran Nguyen
Inspiration from the place of birth.
Tran Nguyen studied fine arts design at the Hanoi University of Theatre and Film. Even from his elementary and middle school years, he had a special passion for painting, and that love grew stronger throughout his life.
Speaking of painting, since his university days, he has had the opportunity to explore and learn about many different subjects. Upon graduation, he decided to pursue a professional painting career, and the subject he chose was Vietnamese countryside paintings.
Having been born and raised in the countryside, artist Tran Nguyen has always had the most inspiration for his creative work, as it is closely linked to his childhood memories, with its village roads and ripening rice fields.
The countryside of Nam Dinh is where he was born, studied, and grew up. With countless childhood memories, the theme of rural life is inextricably linked to artist Tran Nguyen as blood, as his life, as his heart. Childhood is present on village roads, small alleys, ripening rice fields, and in the simple and unpretentious affection people have for each other.
“Those images deeply resonated with me, prompting me to choose this subject. Because images of rural life are no longer as common today, I wanted to recreate them so that the younger generation could see the beauty of the old culture, and those who experienced it could look back at the paintings and relive their childhood memories,” said artist Tran Nguyen.
The main materials that artist Tran Nguyen uses in his work are oil paint and acrylic.
Moments that rewind time to childhood memories.
During the creative process, the biggest challenge Tran Nguyen faced was that most of the old houses now no longer retain their original state; they have all been renovated, losing many of their ancient details.
“To capture the essence of my homeland, I had to recall scenes from my childhood, use my knowledge of film and art history and real-life materials, and connect them to create a painting that is meaningful and beautiful, yet still adheres to historical standards and embodies the three elements of truth, goodness, and beauty. When I come up with ideas and sketches for a work, I have a lot of headaches,” Tran Nguyen confided.
Rice harvest season
The artwork "Frontyard" was inspired by his family's old house.
Most of his works depict scenes of the Northern Vietnamese countryside, and the piece Tran Nguyen cherishes most is "The Front Courtyard." This work holds many childhood memories for him; it's like a film reel that takes him back to that time.
Each of his brushstrokes evokes a sense of old-world beauty and deep emotion. The scenes of the Northern Vietnamese countryside appear so familiar and endearing, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in a peaceful, unhurried life.
Tet in the countryside
The work "Country Lane"
During his creative process, artist Tran Nguyen often traveled to ancient villages in Hanoi such as Duong Lam, Cu Da, Tay Mo, the painting village, and many places in neighboring provinces to gather firsthand information.
On fine days, he would go out to sketch to gain more inspiration and experience the authentic beauty of the landscape. Outside of that time, he focused on sketching and creating artwork based on various sources, piecing them together to produce a painting that truly captured the essence of his homeland.
Scene of a rural market
When Travellive asked him if, given the current state of society and the scarcity of artists who paint rural scenes, he planned to continue painting his hometown to preserve its daily life and customs, he responded...
Artist Tran Nguyen shared: "Actually, there are still many themes to explore in rural landscape paintings, and I will continue to research this subject further. In the near future, I will paint more scenes of rural life from all three regions of the country."
His greatest inspiration comes from the village where he was born and his family.
“For me, nostalgia will forever remain in the subconscious of every Vietnamese person. I also hope that my artwork is one of the tickets that brings people back to their childhood, to images that seem to have disappeared. Or the historical and cultural values that I am trying to preserve and promote. These values will never be lost over time and will always remain in everyone's heart,” artist Tran Nguyen expressed.
