The Huc Bridge, the mossy village gate, or the Tet tea table – all are faithfully depicted in the paintings of 18 amateur artists at the exhibition themed “I Paint Hanoi”.
Khanh Ngoc’s “Midday Dream” captures a tranquil moment at Sword Lake or Hoan Kiem Lake, with the highlight being the dreamy The Huc Bridge.
Ngoc is one of 18 non-professional artists who participated in the exhibition running from November 21 to 28 at 93 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi. An annual activity of Toi Ve (I Paint) Club, the exhibition features 70 works in various media such as watercolors, sketches, oil pastels, exploring themes of architecture, cuisine, labor, and still life.
Ranging in age from 15 to 60, the 18 participants in the event include students, office workers in the fields of business, finance or marketing, and even housewives. Despite their different walks of life, all of them share a passion for the world of colors and a desire to explore themselves and their surroundings through painting.
Nguyen Gia Long, 15, is the youngest artist to participate in the exhibition. He stared his painting journey at the age of 13, inspired by his mother, who played a significant role in encouraging his artistic passion. He said during the creative process, he had to relearn how to mix colors and often relied on various images for reference. For the three paintings he displayed at the event, the young artist spent about three months perfecting them.
According to painter Tuyen Nguyen, one of the two founders of the Toi Ve Club, what makes the exhibition special is that it brings together works by non-professional artists. “Their professions are unrelated to art, but fate has united them to depict Hanoi through each individual’s unique perspective,” he shared.
Artist Dinh Huy, the other founding member of the club, said that the group operated in the form of a painting studio that was open in multiple time slots for visitors’ convenience. Commenting on the fact that the artists often choose watercolor, Dinh Huy explained that this was a suitable medium because it was easy to use and meeting the need to quickly capture beautiful moments that each individual encountered every day.
The scene of chilly days in Hanoi is presented in the painting “Winter Morning” by Doan Linh Phuong. “I love to explore art media, being surprised by the way colors can preserve, convey and express moments in life,” she said.
Ngo Ngoc Bich’s work “Noon” depicted the scene of groups of ride-hailing drivers on the street. The artist revealed that she took part in the exhibition during her last days in Hanoi before leaving for Australia to study art.
In her painting “Spring in the City of Hanoi,” Lai Thi Thu Giang recreates the atmosphere of Tet or Vietnamese Lunar New Year in the capital through peach branches filled with blooming blossoms, lucky money envelopes, fruit platters and a tea set.
Architect Nguyen Hai Anh’s work “Cold Lotus in Late Autumn” uses watercolor. He grew up in a family where both his great -grandfather and grandfather were painters, so his passion for painting was nurtured from a young age.
Bun dau mam tom, or Rice vermicelli with fried tofu and shrimp paste – a signature dish associated with Hanoi – is vividly depicted in Phuong Thao’s painting.
Artist Nguyen Thu Nga contributes the work “Autumn in Hanoi”, which captures the charm of the most beautiful season of the year, with Com or green rice flakes wrapped in lotus leaves, moon cakes, hot cups of tea, and ripe gold apples.
“Hanoi is as rustic as a bowl of hot, delicious pho or Vietnamese traditional beef noodle soup with beef in the winter; or fragrant gold apples and inviting com vong or green rice flakes from Vong Village in Cau Giay District in the autumn. Those little things leave in my heart a peaceful, beautiful capital,” Nga said of her inspiration.
In the work “Pho” by Nguyen Thu Nga, the world-famous noodle soup specialty of the same name appeared delectable as if it was prepared by a renowned chef.
“Anyone – at any age – can draw, as long as we give ourselves the opportunity to try, experience, and persevere long enough. The world of colors not only helps us tell our own stories from our own perspectives, but also – through that – discover ourselves better, balance our emotions, relieve work or family stress, and improve connections. Perhaps this is the special feature of painting that the contemporary culture industry – a part of the creative industries conveys,” said Dinh Huy, co-founder of Toi Ve Club.
“A day on the street” by Doan Linh Phuong
“Flowers on the street” by Nguyen Phuong Thao
