(From April 8, 2022 to April 15, 2022 at Vietnam Fine Arts University Museum, 42 Yet Kieu, Hanoi)
Painter Pham Viet Hong Lam was born 1946 in Nghe An, in a family with rich tradition of fine art. His father is painter Pham Viet Song, studied at the Indochina Fine Arts College. Mention painter Pham Viet Song, people will remember a “teacher of painting teachers”. The small warm room on the 2nd floor, house number 13 Thuyen Quang street is the place to mark the childhood of many Hanoi painters later. In November 2013, generations of students 1957-2000 of painter Pham Viet Song together organized an exhibition called ‘Autumn Convergence’ at Hanoi Exhibition House, 93 Dinh Tien Hoang as a tribute to teacher Pham Viet Song.
At a young age, painter Pham Viet Hong Lam has been exposed to his father’s art world, so he has a youthful creative soul with colorful paintings. During the war years, while serving in the army, Pham Viet Hong Lam had the opportunity to be attached to many rural areas of the country… Peace was restored, he followed in his father’s footsteps and became the teacher of many generations of artists. Pham Viet Hong Lam always identifies himself as a “country painter” because in his works the countryside is always the main theme. The fresh rural gouache paintings with bright warm yellow, brilliant blue with simple style that easy to feel, are loved by many people.
He received the National Prize of Fine Arts Exhibition (Silver Medal in 1985, 02 Bronze Medals in 1990 and 1995), in addition to many other awards. Some of his typical works are: ‘Looking out from the house to the yard’. Gouache. 1985’, ‘Peace I’. Gouache. 1980. 70×100 cm, ‘Peace II’. Lacquer. 2006. 90×120 cm, ‘Morning glory’. Gouache. 50×60 cm. 1985, ‘Autumn came’. Gouache. 1980. 50×70 cm…
This is his 5th solo exhibition. Pham Viet Hong Lam’s first solo exhibition was in 1986, at the Fine Arts Gallery 16 Ngo Quyen, was personally selected by artist Tran Van Can. The 2nd exhibition was held at Harry Mandarin Singapore. The 3rd exhibition titled ‘Painting of Sculpture’ was held in November 2019 at Chon Auction House, 63 Ham Long, Hanoi. His 4th exhibition was held in October 2012 at Vietnam Fine Arts University, 42 Yet Kieu, Hanoi.
Pham Viet Hong Lam ‘Crape-myrtle’ 2008 poonah paper 60×80 cm
For more than 40 years of painting, Pham Viet Hong Lam has been attached to gouache, he has painted many works of Vietnamese countryside with gouache on poonah paper with different frameworks. 24 colors are placed in a rustic wooden box combined with additives: cold rice water, buffalo skin glue, etc. Pham Viet Hong Lam has created new vitality for his works.
The paintings in the exhibition by artist Pham Viet Hong Lam mostly recreate the peaceful and pure Vietnamese village scene. With a graphic style combined with a close-up perspective of the layouts placed close together, each detail is clearly demarcated by different characteristic shades such as: the green of the trees or the ramparts, village bamboo, the red-brown color of bricks or the yellow of rice straw, the purple color of the sunset… creating a coherent overall look in composition, color and style. In recent years, works of artist Pham Viet Hong Lam compared to the 1980s have been somewhat brighter because of the bright and eye-catching colors.
Pham Viet Hong Lam ‘Nostalgia’ 2006 poonah paper 60×80 cm
Pham Viet Hong Lam ‘Take babies to the kindergarten’ 2006 poonah paper 60×80 cm
There are scenes of simple everyday life in his paintings, but with bold characteristics of village people in community spaces such as the water side of the communal house, the village pond, the field banks… From a red cow lying next to a pile of yellow straw and late afternoons with a village girl washing her feet by the brick pond, to a familiar village well with the sun’s reflection on the pond next to a flock of chickens and ducks, the children flickering waiting for their mother to return afar from market… are all vividly depicted through the language of visual art. Seeing Pham Viet Hong Lam’s paintings is like reliving a pure, loving, innocent memory of Vietnam village. The artist’s entire feelings and affection for homeland are encapsulated into each work to praise the beauty of the country, people and traditional culture of Vietnam.
Pham Viet Hong Lam ‘Figure of afternoon’ 2018 poonah paper 60×80 cm
Pham Viet Hong Lam ‘March of Red silk cotton tree’ 2013 poonah paper 60×80 cm
The exhibition of paintings by artist Pham Viet Hong Lam is always an interesting and attractive art experience for art lovers. We look forward to the next exhibitions of artist Pham Viet Hong Lam in the future so that we can see more of his unique and featured works.
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