The exhibition displays over 30 watercolor paintings, inspired by the national heritage as a journey back to the past. There, artist Doan Quoc is like a son far from home returning to the distant memories of a moss-covered Hanoi, an ancient Hue, and a lingering glimmer of yesterday's light.
All of these seem to be memories drifting from the past, prompting people to seek them out, gather them, preserve them, cherish them, and re-present them through the beauty of painting, where the brushstrokes of color and light spread...
The painting "Everyday Sounds".
According to artist Doan Quoc, the ideas for these works continue from his first solo exhibition, "Like a Memory," held in Ho Chi Minh City in 2022. The works are not only still life paintings but also encompass landscapes, settings, and lifestyles, helping viewers better visualize the culture he wants to convey.
The still-life paintings in the exhibition serve as a bridge between the past and the present. These objects, witnesses to history and time, having changed hands countless times, witnessed the rise and fall of eras, and inherently speak of nostalgia and the past.
Images of chrysanthemums, roses, lotuses... have been associated with the Vietnamese people for millennia. This beauty shines brightly, radiating fragrance in a way that is both quiet and vibrant, mysterious and fragile, free and constrained, wanting to rise proudly yet also wanting to droop down and rest, pure and impure, real and illusory...
The artist, born in the 1990s, believes that these contradictions are a reflection of the complexities of human lives. Looking back at history, gravitating towards nostalgia... is actually about illuminating one's own self in the present. Knowing how to return to the past is to enable us to move forward tomorrow.
Regarding the creation process, artist Doan Quoc spent a lot of time researching surviving cultural materials through written records, images, and paintings from his ancestors. "And more importantly, it's the personal experience gained through trips to create live paintings to document what remains in the present. This helps me gain a deeper understanding of the land and people of Hanoi , as well as Hue," shared artist Doan Quoc.
Not born and raised in Hanoi, artist Doan Quoc (28 years old, from Quang Ngai ) is like a stranger traveling to Thang Long (Hanoi) and beholds it with all the fresh, pure love, curiosity, and fascination he has for it. And then, things that seem simple have a strange allure, and there are certain quintessential aspects of Hanoi that Doan Quoc feels he hasn't yet been able to paint in greater depth... but his sincere affection for this place is very clear and genuine.
The painting "Homeland Scent".
Artist Doan Quoc has diligently pursued watercolor painting, achieving considerable success and organizing numerous large-scale watercolor exhibitions both domestically and internationally with his colleagues. Since 2020, he has devoted himself to researching and painting watercolors inspired by culture and tradition. His works serve as a lens through which to look back at the past, telling their own unique stories.
The artist has always felt a responsibility to spread the art of watercolor to the community. Most recently, in 2023, Doan Quoc won third prize at the 3rd Ho Chi Minh City Creative Awards with his work "Where Cities Converge".
The exhibition "Searching for Memories" by artist Doan Quoc runs until August 18th at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum (66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi).
Viet Trung - Photo: Provided by the interviewee
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/ngam-tranh-mau-nuoc-cua-hoa-si-9x-danh-tinh-yeu-dac-biet-voi-hue-ha-noi-post307388.html
