Vietnamese painting is mainly a twentieth century phenomenon. In contrast to other Asian countries, Vietnamese artists in the feudal period did not practise the art of painting, but devoted themselves to sculpture and the decoration of temples and pagodas. At the end of the nineteenth century, the French introduced the technique of oil-painting to Vietnam and in 1925 they established the ‘Ecole des Beaux-Art l’Indochine’ in Hanoi. This marks the beginnings of a professional class of painters, who painted ‘after nature’ in a realistic and impressionistic style.
After the war against France, the separation of North and South Vietnam in 1954, followed by the war between the North and the South, the artists followed completely different courses. The artists from the North (under influence of the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China) turned in the direction of the social-realistic stream, while the southern artists embraced western trends, influenced by the presence of the Americans. Nevertheless, neither the influences was decisive in the development of Vietnamese Modern Art.
Despite the “Doi Moi”, Vietnam’s Perestroika – which allowed contemporary Vietnamese artists more freedom, was introduced in 1986, most of the artists did not direct their attention to the (western) preoccupation with changing of the frontiers of Vietnamese art. Combining traditional methods on modern materials like lacquer on wood, using (traditional) motifs and techniques, the younger generation of Vietnamese artists have gone throught a revival of the use of traditional elements in stead, involving different forms of arts, such as installation, performance and video art.
Nguyen Dinh Vu combines materials as metaphor for the layers of history. Old newspaper often forms a second base on his canvas. The figures in blue and white have resemblance with the antique Chinese porcelain. His famous metaphoric man in suits with golden box head surrounded by Chinese/Vietnamese motifs slowly make room for more impasto* abstract works.
In fine art, the Italian word ‘Impasto’ (dough or paste) denotes a painting technique in which undiluted paint is applied so thickly (like toothpaste) onto the canvas or panel (often with a palette knife) that it stands out from the surface.
Born:
1980 in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam
Lives and works in Hanoi
Education:
Vietnam University of Fine Arts (2013)
