Admiring the natural beauty of Vietnam through still-life and moving paintings

Particularly, the cinemagraphs and motion graphics technology is utilised at the exhibition, increasing the experience and emotions for visitors.

The theme of country is always a source of creative inspiration in many forms of art such as literature, music, cinema, and theatre; and many successful artworks have been created on this theme.

The remark was made by the Director of the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum Nguyen Anh Minh at the opening ceremony of the exhibition on August 24.

He stressed that for artists, the country is an endless source of emotions that they always want to show their love and appreciation for.

The exhibition displays more than 80 selected works in the Modern Fine Arts Collection of the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum.

The exhibits were composed in different styles in different periods, from 1930 to 2007, by many typical artists, from the Indochinese fine art generation such as Luong Xuan Nhi, Nguyen Van Ty, Tran Dinh Tho, Huynh Van Thuan, and Phan Ke An, to the revolutionary painters namely Luu Cong Nhan and Dao Duc, and contemporary artists Duong Ngoc Canh, Tran Thanh Ngoc, Nguyen Thanh Chau, Do Duc, Le Van Hai, and Do Thi Ninh.

For artists, the country is an endless source of emotions that they always want to show their love and appreciation for.

Director of the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum Nguyen Anh Minh

Through the paintings on display, visitors to the exhibition can enter a visual journey of travelling and discovering Vietnamese landscapes from north to south, from the mountains to coasts, from the Central Highlands to the islands.

The paintings vividly feature iconic landscapes across Vietnam, such as Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province, Dong Van Karst Plateau in Ha Giang Province, Perfume River in Thua Thien Hue Province, Ban Gioc Waterfall in Cao Bang Province, Hung Kings Temple in Phu Tho province, and the floating market in Can Tho City.

Several works on display do not identify a specific place but still evoke familiar and nostalgic feelings among viewers, through the images of rice fields, old streets, coconut groves, and stilt houses.

On this occasion, the public has the opportunity to admire many paintings which are highly appreciated by art critics, thanks to their prominent historical and artistic value, such as the ‘Hanoi-styled Village in Lam Dong Economic Zone’ (Pham Duc Phong, oil painting, 1978); ‘Boats in Can Tho’ (Dang Chung, oil painting, 1981); ‘Dawn in the Central Highlands’ (Xu Man, lacquer, 1975); ‘Morning on the Perfume River’ (Luong Xuan Nhi, oil painting, 1980); ‘Karl Marx Mountain’ (Tran Dinh Tho, silk painting, 1976); and ‘Phu Quoc beach village’ (Do Son, silk painting, 1980).

Do Duc, a 78-year-old painter participating in the exhibition, said he was touched that the exhibition received so much attention and appreciation from visitors of different age groups.

The Thai Nguyen province-based artist is also a cultural researcher, who owns a valuable collection of costumes and customs of ethnic minorities in the northern mountains.

He believed that the exhibition evokes many memories of difficult but glorious periods in Vietnamese history, and hailed that each artwork is imbued with the artists’ love for the Fatherland.

In addition to introducing the original paintings, the exhibition also displays eight paintings presented in large format, using cinemagraphs and motion graphics technology.

In addition to introducing the original paintings, the exhibition also displays eight paintings presented in large format, using cinemagraphs and motion graphics technology.

Under the touch of technology, the lacquer painting ‘An afternoon in the Northwest region, painted in 1950 by famous artist Phan Ke An, appeared vividly with the wind blowing, forest trees gently shaking and the clouds floating in the sky. The afternoon sun featured in the painting was more brilliant and the soldiers marching bravely in a poetic scene.

Similarly, the watercolour painting ‘Ban Gioc Waterfall’ by celebrated artist Nguyen Van Ty, turned into a beautiful documentary featuring the majestic waterfall flowing down from the reefs.

Dr. Dang Thi Phong Lan from the Vietnam University of Fine Arts said, that although digital artworks can never replace original ones, they still have many unique values such as turning small-sized images into a larger space, with more shimmering colours and making objects of the painting appear more vividly.

Meanwhile, architect Dinh Viet Phuong, a representative from the 3D Art Design Consultancy and Technology Solutions Joint Stock Company, said that the 3D team spent many months researching and adapting suitable moving details to the selected paintings.

He stressed that the digitisation process aims to provide viewers with fresh experiences while inspiring their love for the arts.

While emphasising the advantages of digital technology, Director Nguyen Anh Minh hailed, that this is a new solution and direction in displaying and promoting fine artworks, without being limited by space and time.

“This opens up new opportunities to uphold the values of artworks, especially valuable ones and national treasures, helping them reach more the art lovers at home and abroad in the future,” he said.

The exhibition ‘My Motherland’ will be open to the public until September 10, at the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum, 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Dien Bien Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.