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| A corner of the “Loving Hue” space |
In the space of the 4th floor of Songcentre Hue, located on Ba Trieu Street, Thuan Hoa District, 15 artists had an emotional gathering when they presented their works on the theme of Hue to the public. Whether they are entering their seventies or still quite young, born in Hue or having come to Hue and chosen it as their second homeland, they share a common point: an endless love for Hue. And it is not difficult to see their love through the 50 works that are nobly displayed, captivating all who enter the exhibition space.
Through various materials, perspectives, and techniques, the common language of each work revolves around stories of Hue. There is the ancient moss of historic landmarks, cultural and historical values, dreamlike ao dai dresses, lantern dance performances, or very peaceful daily moments of Hue.
Looking at the paintings, one can clearly see that Hue is not just a place, but also an emotion, a nostalgia, a symphony of history and culture, carved through each brushstroke and color palette of the artists. Whether in any space or dimension, Hue always appears and has a strange attraction not only in real life but also in the works of this exhibition.
Art lovers always believe that works about Hue do not just stop at aesthetic value, but are also bridges between the past and present, between dreams and reality. Through each historical period, Hue has witnessed so many changes of the times, and paintings about Hue are a way to preserve those stories. Therefore, the subtle and profound beauty of Hue is never forgotten.
Artist Phan Thanh Binh shared at this gathering that for him, Hue is what settles silently inside. He not only paints about Hue with its ancient sloping roofs or suburban streets, but also about many other countryside scenes, Champa memories, night flames in A Luoi highlands, Hue girls in the early mist of Mang Den, Kon Tum... In all of these, feelings and stirrings carry the tones from Hue, of Hue, and therefore, Hue is always present in almost all of his creations.
“I perceive Hue through discovery, finding the shadow of Hue’s time in calmness, and sometimes suddenly realizing there is another Hue, the Hue of inner feelings, the Hue of intense nostalgia, and a Hue that always hides fascinating mysteries,” expressed artist Phan Thanh Binh.
With the same mindset, artist Dang Mau Tuu believes that the essence of Hue cannot be defined, and any definition would be incomplete. Each person has things to remember, deeply rooted in their core, both the lovable and the less pleasant aspects, from the sky, the river, the grassy banks, the voice, the walk of the ladies, even the rains, the damp mossy walls, the small dripping coffee cups...
Although he is over 70, Dang Mau Tuu has lived most of his life in Hue and considers this land his homeland. Therefore, most of the creations of this artist of Binh Dinh origin are “tinged” with Hue and are summed up briefly by him: “If anyone asks what makes me remember Hue, I will say: The posture of Hue, that’s all!”
At the “Loving Hue” exhibition, artist Dang Mau Tuu also shared with viewers that all 15 participating artists have a common language - the “love for Hue”, and how they love is expressed in each work, which viewers can perceive in their own way.
As one of the two female artists participating in this exhibition, artist Nguyen Thi Hai Hoa also contributed works that serve as messages from women about Hue, revolving around the ao dai theme. According to her, the ao dai is Hue’s characteristic. “Through the works in this exhibition, I express different perspectives on the ao dai and women. When looking at girls in ao dai, the emotion is truly nostalgic. That is also what I cherish and love when creating and sending the message: ‘Wherever you see ao dai, that's where Hue is’”, shared artist Hai Hoa.
Moving slowly among the 50 works collectively titled “Loving Hue,” people seem to take a journey around Hue through art. There, so many stories are told through brushstrokes with feelings, emotions, and the vibrations not just of the artists but as an experience of the viewers themselves.