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| The watercolor paintings on display at the exhibition |
The exhibition “There Is… a River”, organized by Vietnam Watercolor Art Group, is taking place at Lan Vien Co Tich 2 on Bach Dang Street in Phu Xuan Ward. The event brings together renowned watercolor artists, including Ho Hung, Minh Dam, Hai Tre, Doan Quoc, and Vu Tuan.
With artists representing a wide range of styles, the exhibition offers art lovers something of a visual feast. At first glance, the works reveal a rich diversity of subjects and techniques. Yet what lingers is the way each painter uses watercolor to express memories and reflections inspired by the places they have been to, and transforming those experiences into the backdrops for the paintings.
Among them are painters with deep ties to Hue. Some ventured far from their hometown before finding their way back, while others have continued to create quietly and steadfastly in Hue, nurturing their art on the land where they were born and raised.
Well known in artistic circles, Ho Hung, a painter who graduated from the University of Arts (Hue University), has returned to Hue with his latest collection after years of artistic journeys elsewhere. His works make up more than half of the 80 watercolor paintings on display, notably a series of large-format artworks made under post-war themes that he has been developing and refining over the years.
Shaped by the perspective of a generation raised in peace, Ho Hung’s paintings not only serve as a future generation’s view of war, but his watercolor artworks also bear the imprint of time, reflecting his journeys across Vietnam and around the world in pursuit of his passion for plein-air painting.
Through his paintings, viewers can encounter a breathtaking sunset over the Perfume River seen from Thien Mu Pagoda, or a tranquil morning at Xuan Huong Lake in Da Lat, peaceful villages in Vietnam’s northern midlands, and fishing communities scattered across the vast waterways of the Mekong Delta…
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| The riverscape through the eyes of Ho Hung |
Among the exhibition’s highlights are a series of urban-themed watercolor works by Hanoi-based painter Hai Tre (Dinh Quang Hai). As a well-known painter in Vietnam’s watercolor art community, he is celebrated for paintings distinguished by their clarity, subtle beauty, and poetic atmosphere.
The collection that he presents to art lovers in Hue Ancient Capital captures the simple rhythms and everyday scenes of Hanoi’s streets. If the city life itself is often defined by its energy and bustle, Hai Tre’s paintings move in the opposite direction. They are serene, gentle, and contemplative, inviting viewers into a quieter world. There, the old spirit of the ancient streets still reveals a graceful, elegant, and timeless beauty.
While landscapes from other regions may offer a sense of novelty, Phan Vu Tuan’s watercolor paintings of Hue evoke a different kind of appeal. Though focused on familiar subjects, the works are rich in emotion and continue to inspire viewers. No stranger to Hue’s art community, painter Phan Vu Tuan has carved out his own artistic path through watercolor art, focusing extensively on themes of cultural heritage.
Tuan pays close attention to the architectural treasures of Hue, from royal mausoleums and temples to centuries-old, moss-covered gates. His detailed depictions not only celebrate their refined beauty and historical grandeur but also demonstrate a keen artistic eye and a confident handling of color. The exhibition transports viewers into a realm that feels strange but familiar, including the mausoleums of Emperors Tu Duc and Dong Khanh, the citadel gates, and pine hills…
For the artists taking part in There Is a… River, beyond a showcase of artworks, the exhibition is also a means of expressing their inner thoughts and emotions to the public through painting, a quiet conversation between painters and viewers, woven together through the subtle yet emotionally rich language of watercolor.