An emotional reunion of 5 Ho Chi Minh City fine arts artists

mỹ thuật - Ảnh 1. — Veteran artists reunite at *Art Friends* exhibition - Photo HV

Bringing together works by five veteran artists including Nguyen Van Minh, Ho Van Hung, Ly Cao Tan, Nguyen Tien Len and Phan Thai Hoang, the exhibition brings a multi-style artistic space, full of narrative and emotion.

When painting is a place to return to

Having gone to the same art school and lived through the same passionate youth, despite the ups and downs of their personal lives, the artists still reunited in harmony in their love of art.

Art Friends is not simply an art event but also a return, a peaceful place where artistic souls can look back together, find their original emotions, the most sincere feelings, and create colorful and profound works.

mỹ thuật - Ảnh 2. — The work "After New Year's Eve" by Associate Professor, Doctor - painter Nguyen Van Minh, principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts

Associate Professor, Doctor - painter Nguyen Van Minh, principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts, not only cares about nurturing the next generation but also always keeps his own passion alive. Previously, his paintings tended towards traditional lacquer with the rustic, peaceful beauty of the Southern countryside.

In recent years, the artist has gradually shifted strongly to contemporary language. Still familiar with lacquer with eggshells, red lipstick, black charcoal, gold, silver, but the colors and lines have become more liberal, containing abstract and expressive elements.

Living in Soc Trang, artist Ho Van Hung brings paintings bearing the mark of the Khmer art heritage of the South.

From the delicate, graceful decorative motifs reminiscent of stone reliefs on ancient temples to the vibrant, contrasting color palettes that bring bold visual effects, his paintings are both memories and metaphors of cultural depth and origin.

mỹ thuật - Ảnh 3. — "Ok-Om-Bok Festival" by artist Ho Van Hung

An emotional experience

Artist Ly Cao Tan impresses with his meticulousness and detail. His large-scale iron pen paintings are like delicate, careful handwritten copies.

His paintings are both strong and decisive, yet spontaneous and free, creating rhythm and depth for the work like the peaceful, simple yet nostalgic flow of the Western countryside.

mỹ thuật - Ảnh 4. — Iron pen painting "Dyeing workers' ferry" by artist Ly Cao Tan

Painter Nguyen Tien Len once turned to business and design, and also experienced many difficulties in making a living.

Returning to painting as an inner need, his paintings carry the sincerity, gentleness, and serenity of an inner self that has gone through many storms.

mỹ thuật - Ảnh 5. — "Fragrance Against the Wind" by artist Nguyen Tien Len

As a son of Ca Mau, painter Phan Thai Hoang's style stands out with its strength and violence in every brush stroke and color.

Inspired by the mangrove fields of Ca Mau, he paints a world that is both familiar and symbolic, where physical forms dissolve to allow emotions and ideas to flow freely, creating a rich and surprising visual experience.

mỹ thuật - Ảnh 6. — Painting "Countryside Space" by artist Phan Thai Hoang

According to artist Phan Trong Van, Friends is a meaningful artistic event, converging unique and diverse creative personalities. Each painting is a memory, a recollection or a moment in everyday life brought to canvas, lacquer... with all that remains of a passionate youth.

All of this makes the exhibition richer, more multidimensional and profound, and is also an affirmation of the persistence of passion and the power of friendship in the artistic journey.

The group exhibition Art Friends takes place from now until April 21 at the cozy space of Maii Art Space (72/7 Tran Quoc Toan, District 3, HCMC).