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"Pilgrimage" for art
Born and raised in a family where both parents were renowned artists, Dao Anh Tho never considered pursuing a career in painting throughout her childhood and adulthood. Finance was the path she chose and pursued from a very young age. At 32, Dao Anh Tho abruptly changed direction, abandoning the successes she had built over a decade at international financial companies, embarking on a completely new journey: painting. She quickly launched her first solo exhibition under the pseudonym CAT. Her exhibition, "Metareverse - Rebirth," immediately impressed art lovers by opening up a strange world with large-scale lacquer paintings expressed through dreamy shapes and magnificent colors.
From a finance employee, she switched to painting at the age of 32.
Referring to this significant turning point, Dao Anh Tho shared: “When I first decided to paint and seriously wanted to become an artist at the age of 32, I was very shocked myself. After a while, I realized that becoming an artist wasn't something that happened naturally, as people say, it's a matter of fate. I've experienced the sweet and bitter, the ups and downs, many events and challenges in life, and this is the time when I'm receiving a great source of energy.”
CAT's inspiration for his work often comes from: the daily lives of people, or from enjoying the works of world-renowned painters; and journeys to find creative material have become an indispensable part of CAT's life.
And during one such trip, CAT coincidentally met and fell in love with her current partner – a foreign man who was also exploring Vietnam. Since then, they have traveled together through 13 countries, from Asia, through Europe to the Americas, leaving their footprints in many new and unfamiliar lands, learning about unfamiliar cultures, and gathering unforgettable experiences such as Udo Island in Jeju, the giant Ferris wheel and national park in Singapore, getting lost and confused in Malacca (Malaysia), the "Sekkusu Geimu Drift" in Tokyo's electronic streets, walking with philosophers in Athens, and especially visiting famous museums and galleries...
The female artist quickly sketches her ideas and thoughts on small sheets of paper to carry with her at all times.
Artist CAT has traveled through 13 countries, from Asia, across Europe to the Americas, leaving his footprints on many new and unfamiliar lands, exploring unfamiliar cultures, and gathering unforgettable experiences.
“When I first started my journeys around the world, beginning with South Korea, I didn't clearly define these trips as both experiential and creative journeys. I simply sketched my ideas and thoughts quickly on small notebooks that I could carry with me at any time. Later, I noticed that the sketches I created while in another country seemed to absorb the energy, form, and color of that country. There was something changing in each drawing that I could clearly feel. From then on, I always brought my sketchbook with me whenever I traveled abroad. I have the ability to sketch very quickly and I can sketch anywhere. Whether I'm sitting on the subway, in a cafe, a restaurant, a train station, a bus station… I can draw. Usually, ideas come naturally, and each time an idea comes to me, I only need 2 to 3 hours to create a piece of artwork. That's why after each trip, I have a whole series of sketches to bring back.” to be perfected into complete works."
In proportion to CAT's increasing travel experiences, the number of her sketches also increased rapidly. Within two years, she had amassed 200 sketches, divided into themed series: "Series 3 - Summer of Love" documenting her experiences in South Korea; "Series 4 - The Traveler" with sketches done in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Japan; "Series 5 - India" and "Series 7 - America Now" done in the United States; "Series 8 - Culture Pilgrimage" painted in France, Italy, Greece, Morocco, and the Vatican; and "Series 11" sketches done in China. These sketches formed the foundation for her to complete large-scale lacquer paintings upon her return to Vietnam.
Not only do CAT's massive art projects require a lot of time and dedication, but they are also very expensive.
The audacious "sleepwalker"
Dao Anh Tho considers herself a dreamer when wielding a brush, as she has always dreamed of creating large-scale lacquer paintings to freely express her creativity and imagination through the art of color. However, the female artist admits that this endeavor is not easy, as the journey from idea and sketch to reality is fraught with difficulties.
CAT confided: “The difficulties started right from the beginning, because as far as I know, almost no one in Vietnam makes large-scale lacquer paintings like this. For example, when creating the first painting in the “America Now” series, which measured 3.6 meters high and 4.8 meters long, ordering the right canvas was very difficult. I persuaded the artist, placed the order, and waited three months to get the canvas I wanted. Even after I got it, standing in front of the large canvas, I was still confused and didn't know where to begin.”
Speaking specifically about paints, Dao Anh Tho doesn't hesitate to travel to distant lands to find the most suitable colors.
Not only does CAT invest a great deal of time and effort, but her ambitious art projects are also very expensive. She wants to use the best materials to create and nurture her artistic creations. Just regarding paints alone, she doesn't hesitate to travel to remote areas to find the most suitable ones: "I think to create a beautiful artwork, the first thing is to invest in high-quality materials. I only use paints from world-renowned brands, made from natural stone, that have been tested for decades, and some brands have even been around for over a hundred years. Only then can I be somewhat confident that my artwork won't fade quickly due to using low-quality, industrial paints."
Private art space and second exhibition
During her travels, artist CAT - Dao Anh Tho was deeply impressed by art spaces in the United States and France, Europe, where classic works by renowned painters were displayed. She clearly felt that these spaces, which celebrate art, were the foundations and conditions that allowed art to flourish. From then on, she always harbored a burning desire to create her own art exhibition space in Vietnam.
And the Metareverse Art Gallery, launching on May 22, 2024, is the "sweet fruit" she wanted to share with the public after a long period of "lying low." At the same time, CAT also opened her second solo exhibition, showcasing 22 ballpoint pen sketches from the "America Now" series created in 2023, and the first large-scale painting in the series, measuring 3.6 m x 4.8 m and weighing nearly 250 kg.
"I only use paints from world-renowned brands, made from natural stone, and proven effective over decades; some brands have even been around for over a hundred years," the female artist explained.
Artist Dao Anh Tho plans to complete and release all 22 paintings in the "America Now" series to the public within the next four years.
“The place that gives me the strongest inspiration for my art is probably my beloved America, where I once lived and studied. Having been educated in America from high school to university, I deeply love this country and its people. Returning after 11 years away, 'America Now' is proof of the immense energy that this country has influenced me with during my more than a month of creative work in five major American cities. To answer the question of why, perhaps for me, America will always be a big dream, a country of powerful giants who dare to do everything to realize their dreams,” artist CAT - Dao Anh Tho explained.
She plans to complete and release all 22 paintings in the "America Now" series to the public over the next four years.
The exhibition “America Now” will be open to visitors until June 21, 2024 at Metareverse Art Gallery - D1-24 Dao Hinh Street, Phuc Dong Ward, Long Bien District, Hanoi.
