HÀ NỘI — The exhibition Tháng 4 (April) will open this week in the centre of Hà Nội showcasing more than 40 outstanding latest pieces by artists who are also lecturers at the Việt Nam Fine Arts University (VNUFA).

The event, organised by the university, will run from April 10-19 at its art space 42 Yết Kiêu Street to mark a new space of creation and a much-anticipated 'playground' for the continuation of its tradition of academic excellence and artistic innovation. 

Created with various materials such as lacquer, oil, acrylic and silk, the works by 32 artists and lecturers also feature different forms of art including graphic designs, sculpture and installation, showcasing a fresh atmosphere of the academic and training environment.

The exhibition aims not only to reflect new explorations in art practice but also affirm the pioneering role of faculty and artists in art education and shaping visual thinking trends, according to the organiser.

One of the highlights is the lacquerware display, a distinctive strength of the VNUFA's training programme.

Beyond the use of traditional techniques such as polishing, coating, inlaying and gilding, the artists have proactively expanded the expressive boundaries of lacquerware in a contemporary direction.

In many works, a space within painting is no longer purely realistic or merely surface decorative, but gives chance for painters to play with materials and create visual effects.

Notably, many lacquer works in this exhibition demonstrate a strong shift from narrative to structural and conceptual thinking.

 

Artists fully exploit the layering, exposed polishing, and reflective properties of the material to create multi-layered visual spaces that are both evocative and analytical.

Through this, lacquer is affirmed as not only a Vietnamese art heritage but also an open language capable of engaging in 'dialogue' with the global painting trends, the VNUFA organiser said in a statement. 

Furthermore, works about the zodiac animal of the year (the Horse) are also a new angle worthy to be highlighted at the exhibition.

The horse image has inspired the authors to approach it from various perspectives instead of simply focusing on traditional symbolic meaning. Paintings about horses have shown the artists' ability to seamlessly integrate tradition with modern visual language. 

 

Some works have showcased it as a symbol of energy and movement, a metaphor of journey, and a purely structural element to experiment with sounds, shaping and spacing.

The use of different materials have also demonstrated the authors' professionalism and rich skills of expression.

In this exhibition, the works not only show achievements of lecturers, but also directly reflect the training and research environment of the VNUFA, where teaching and practicing art are always closely intertwined.

VNUFA – the country's leading art training institution – has made significant contributions to the development of modern Vietnamese fine arts across various dimensions. One of its major contributions is the emergence of the Indochinese artistic style, which was prominent during the 1925-1945 period and continues to influence art today.

The pioneering painters, first graduates of the school, creatively blended traditional materials with the meticulous and refined technique of oil painting. They not only preserved the national spirit through familiar themes but also infused their works with the fresh light of Western aesthetics. — VNS