Lacquer paintings by three artists at the 3rd "Buckwheat Triangle" exhibition.

42 magnificent yet profound lacquer paintings by three artists—Tran Quang Hai, Nguyen Truong Linh, and Trinh Que Anh—are on display at the "Buckwheat Triangle Exhibition III." Three artists, three styles, but a shared passion for celebrating the beauty of love, landscapes, and human life.

In a conversation with Travellive, artist Nguyen Truong Linh shared: "In recent years, lacquer painting has regained the attention of many people, including young artists. Public acceptance has also improved, which serves as motivation for artists to create. Although it takes a lot of time and effort, lacquer remains a durable material with high traditional value, expressing contemporary voices."

Artist Tran Quang Hai, with his simple, rustic, and metaphorical style of composition and free brushstrokes, employs abstract forms and lines to express and glorify the love of life, the eternal beauty of women, and the joy and happiness of everyday life, elevating them to a higher level as an aspiration, a dream.

The artistic characteristics of painter Quang Hai are often characterized by: wanderlust, stylization, freedom, and a free-spirited nature. His passion, since embarking on his painting career, has always been to celebrate the beauty of women and their enchanting love.

For artist Nguyen Truong Linh, his love is directed towards natural landscapes and ancient cultural relics as a form of veneration and nostalgia. In these scenes, people are gently blended into the overall picture, like smoke in a meditative atmosphere. The artist expresses his ideas through shapes, colors, and interwoven lines that are soft and delicate yet highly abstract, guiding the viewer and drawing their emotions into his artwork.

Over the years, artist Truong Linh has consistently delved into exploring the traditional lacquer techniques of previous generations of artists: seeking to capture the essence of lacquer and uncovering the untapped potential of traditional lacquerware.

According to the artist: "The principle of lacquer painting is flat, smooth, and even, following the traditional style of previous generations. However, recently, modern lacquer painting techniques may not require a flat surface because, although slightly rough to the touch, the raised texture on the surface creates an unexpected visual and sculptural effect, drawing viewers into the depth of the lacquer painting. This is a way to enhance the viewer's emotions and create a contrasting effect."

For example, in the mother-of-pearl inlay, he polishes it smooth, but viewers can still feel the roughness and porosity of the material hidden beneath the smooth surface of the painting. Following traditional techniques, each work by artist Nguyen Truong Linh not only expresses an idea or a beauty, but also contains profound emotions.

Artist Trinh Que Anh, with her realistic style, takes viewers to familiar yet sweet natural landscapes through her subtle interplay of light and shadow and gentle, warm, feminine colors. Viewing her paintings, the public feels as if they are returning to their own loving home. The artist loves realistic beauty, meticulousness, and perfection in her compositions. She fully exploits the characteristics of traditional lacquer painting with a classic color palette: red, yellow, black, and a reddish-brown base...

Discussing lacquer art, painter Truong Linh commented: "When painting lacquer, there's always an initial sketch, which only serves as a suggestion for the artist. As the layers of lacquer are gradually polished away, they reveal different textures. The artist follows that flow of emotion rather than adhering to a pre-existing standard. Lacquer is inherently abstract; you apply many layers of lacquer, then gradually polish away each layer to reveal the painting. Sometimes, what you intended to paint might turn into a completely different work after polishing. In other words, the finished artwork is completely different from the initial sketch."

Regarding lacquer, this is a traditional material used for lacquer painting, found only in Vietnam. Lacquer trees are mainly grown in Phu Tho province, and during the harvesting process, people easily get lacquer on themselves. Furthermore, the lacquer's drying time depends on the weather, drying when humidity is high. The main colors are usually red, amber, and black…

The Buckwheat Triangle Group was founded by four artists: Ngo Van Cao, Tran Quang Hai, Nguyen Truong Linh, and Trinh Que Anh. Their first exhibition was held in 2019 at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts. The second was in 2021 at the Vietnam Fine Arts Association Exhibition House, 16 Ngo Quyen Street, Hanoi. The third exhibition featured three artists: Tran Quang Hai, Nguyen Truong Linh, and Trinh Que Anh, showcasing 42 lacquer paintings of various sizes.

The "Buckwheat Triangle Exhibition III" will be open from June 27th to July 4th, 2023 at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.

Some of the works at the "Buckwheat Triangle Exhibition III":

Phuong Thao is an editor at Travellive magazine. She is passionate about traveling and enjoys capturing moments with her camera in every place she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are Phuong Thao's favorite writing topics.

Text and photos: Phuong Thao