New artworks at the exhibition brought the viewer interesting experiences
Together with other culture and art events in the Hue Festival Week 2022, the exhibition “The New Face” revealed and highlighted the capability of the fine art of the province.
The exhibition, which lasted from June 27th-July 8th, introduced the 53 artworks by the 47 artists chosen carefully by the art committee based on strict criteria. The artworks must show something new in their expression, different from what the artists had done before.
“Time 1” by Phan Quang Tan
The good news was that the artworks chosen by the art committee did impress the viewer. Many artists managed to escape their old styles to explore something new and creative for their artworks. Some showed their exploration in style, material, technique and theme.
Each artwork was a representation of the country, life, love for nature and people, human destiny and living philosophy. Many techniques and materials were employed to express the artists’ ideas in such various styles as abstract, semi-abstract, impressionist, cubist, realistic, etc.
With "My shadow,” Nguyen Thi Hue painted her own shadow. Her painting escaped illustration using symbolism and generalization. Her use of colors and layout were also very professional, different from her previous style.
“My shadow” by Nguyen Thi Hue
In "Time 1” Phan Quang Tan painted the time on architectural monuments on the other side of the canvas with acrylic to give his painting a matted surface and to take advantage of the color of the canvas itself. The painting was painted with modules to highlight the beauty of the mosaics on the traditional constructions in Hue. With time, those mosaics were damaged with only some pottery pieces left on the wall.
The painting "Memoir" of the young artist Nguyen Duc Niem was highly valued by the art committee for its realism. The painting depicted a construction stained with letters. It condemned vandalism and called for respect for traditional values.
“Memoir” by Nguyen Duc Niem
After the COVID-19 pandemic, Hue Festival 2022 marked the revival of Hue, including its fine art. According to Nguyen Thien Duc, painter and president of the Provincial Fine Arts Association, the COVID-19 pandemic did badly influence the creativity of artists. The association should provide orientation to prevent artists from following their painting routine to please people’s taste. There should be a balance between painting for social demand and for creativity.
“Our fine arts will decrease if artist keep following their painting habits or paint to please people’s taste. They can learn from traditional values but should as well search for new creativity. It is the artists’ mission and the crucial condition for the fine arts of our province. The exhibition has gathered new works which are results of the search for new things and mark their exploration. All of them, despite being well known, young, or novice artists, have won themselves,” emphasized Nguyen Thien Duc.
The good thing was that the exhibition had gathered many huge names besides promising young artists. They together portrayed fully and vividly the current fine arts of Thua Thien Hue. The exhibition brought the viewer exciting experiences as a significant part of Hue Festival 2022.
Story and photos: Minh Hien