HCM City (VNA) – A collection of 49 outstanding paꩵintings by Vietnamese contemporary artists are on display in an exhibition at the HCM City Fine Arts Museum.

The “Green and Blue Dream” exhibition showcases works in different materials by 17 veteran artists. The highlights of the exhibition are five oil paintings by Le Thanh, 74, who was born in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, but spent most of his life in HCM City. He captured the landscape, daily life and people of HCM City in paintings such as Vuong Cung Thanh Duong (Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica, HCM City) and Nang Saigon (Saigon Summer). The beauty and elegance of Vietnamese women is also featured in Pretty Woman, which is considered as one of Thanh’s most appealing paintings. Thanh, a graduate of Gia Dinh Fine Arts College (currently the HCM City University of Fine Arts), painted the work after recovering from a severe illness in 2004. Speaking at the exhibition’s opening ceremony on July 23, Thanh said, “The exhibition introduces the best works by outstanding Vietnamese contemporary artists to local and foreign viewers.” “It also creates a chance for both young and veteran artists to meet and discuss about the arts,” he added. The exhibition showcases a painting on lotus by 80-year-old artist Nguyen Thi Tam. The artist used white as the major colour and typical shapes on soft silk material to depict the pure, charming and simple beauty of lotus in Sen Trang Tay Vuc (Indian White Lotus). Tam, a native of the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, graduated in oil painting at the Gia Dinh Fine Arts College in 1958. She has 20 single and group exhibitions in Vietnam and other countries such as France, the US and Germany. The collection includes four lacquer paintings, Am Nhac (Music), Ben Thuyen (Wharf), Mystery II, and Dung Manh (Strong and Brave), by Ho Huu Thu, 74, who has had exhibitions in France, the US, Japan, Singapore and Indonesia. Golden Fish, a mix-media painting by Uyen Huy, Chairman of the HCM City Fine Arts Association, is among the displayed works. All exhibits are part of the private collection of art curator Nguyen Quang Cuong, manager of Phương Mai Gallery in District 1. Cuong said, “I have collected over 50 valuable works from many artists in Vietnam for more than 10 years. And my collection is diversified in subject, style and media.” The “Green and Blue Dream” exhibition remains open until August 2 at the museum, 97A Pho Duc Chinh Street in District 1.-VNA