As if by a twist of fate, the two painters Hoang Dang Khanh and Tran Anh Huy are not only friends but also share a deep passion for art, culminating in their joint exhibition titled “Ky uc thap mau” (“Memories Illuminated in Color”).

In Bao Vinh Old Town, Ms. Tran Thi Minh Phung still carefully holds her brush each day to paint on glass, just as her family has done for generations. As most of the artisans from the old days have nearly disappeared, the hands of this woman in her fifties have become a place where a craft once closely associated with the royal art of Hue is being preserved.

Offering both a fresh artistic experience and a way to preserve the vibrant emotions of spring, the workshop on paintings to hang up for Tet led by young artist Tuyet Loan at An Yen Station (Phu Xuan Ward) has become a tranquil gathering place where participants immerse themselves in radiant brushstrokes.

Although she has never attended any formal art school, Pham Thi Tuong Vi (born in 1992, living at 37/7 Ung Binh, Vy Da Ward) has mastered the art of “dancing” the brush on the traditional conical hat. With her skillful hands and passion for colors, familiar landscapes of her homeland vividly come to life, giving each hat its own distinctive beauty.

With more than 12 years holding the brush, Nguyen Dinh Viet (born in 1989, Ha Tinh) represented young Vietnamese artists to participate in the group exhibition at KTG Gallery in Hamburg, Germany (2015) and at @Art NewGen in Songkhla, Thailand (2021), leaving a good impression on local people and art collectors.

By listening to the miraculous sounds of rocks, the young artist Nguyen Van Tien has allowed rocks to narrate stories of memories. Through his vibrant and delicate brushstrokes, the rocks have become conveyers of beautiful memories and memorable moments for many people.

Inside the Hue Royal Palace heritage site, at Duyet Thi Duong Theater (the theater for the king, royal family members, and mandarins to enjoy traditional royal operas) stands a space exhibiting hundreds of tuồng (traditional Vietnamese opera) masks, which get tourists to stop to explore.

Upon contemplating the city in the brushstrokes of artist Hoang Dang Khanh, viewers seem to immerse themselves in many different emotions, ranging from peacefulness, romance, desolation, strangeness, sometimes solitariness and loneliness. This artist from Hue seems tireless after many years of pursuing the city theme. As for him, those city quarters not only nourished his soul but also gave him mixed memories of joy and sadness.