Vietnam |
| By Joyce Fan | |||||
 Truong Tan Buddhist 1993, Lacquer on board, 59 x 79cm Collection of Singapore Art Museum Modern art expression took root in Vietnam at the turn of the 20th century when the French colonial government established a fine arts school, Ecole des Beaux Arts in Hanoi. Victor Tardieu who was trained in the tradition of the School of Paris, headed the Ecole at its founding in 1925. He believed that the Vietnamese could be trained as artists and encouraged his students to be experimental in their approaches and adopt a consciousness of their culture and traditions. Tardieu not only imparted his skills to his students but also his vision which continued to have an impact in today’s artistic environment. The Singapore Art Museum started collecting Vietnamese art in 1993 within an art historical framework. There are currently more than 160 works in the permanent collection, dating back to 1930s with representation of important painters such as Le Pho, Nguyen Pha Chanh, Nguyen Tu Nghiem and Bui Xuan Phai, and younger artists in the likes of Dang Xuan Hoa and Tran Trong Vu. The collection will continually be enhanced by purchases as well as donations and loans. Modernising Tradition – Poetic Expressions Tadieu’s most valuable contributions to Vietnam’s modern art in the encouragement of the Vietnamese to incorporate elements of traditional practices with modern art forms are in the area of silk and lacquer paintings. Nguyen Phan Chanh (1892-1984) and Le Pho (1907-2002) are two important proponents of the silk painting medium where the use of western paints – gouache and oil respectively – are applied instead of the traditional ink and colour pigments. In contrast to traditional portraits of sitters in official garments or imaginary scenes of nature, the choice of subject of these two paintings is Western influenced with scenes taken from daily life as advocated by the French Impressionists. In both paintings, the artists have skilfully applied their knowledge of aerial perspective and tonal definitions. This highly syncretised approach can also be observed in modern lacquer paintings. Traditionally, lacquer is used with limited colours as a protective layer for furnishing and buildings. Nguyen Gia Tri (1908-1993) is attributed for expanding the colour palette and incorporation of egg shells, gold and silver leaves that allow for modern and contemporary expressions in a two-dimensional medium. Bui Xuan Phai (1920-1988) and Nguyen Tu Nghiem (b.1922) are two important artists of the succeeding generation. Phai, a prolific painter advocated a lyrical abstractionism in his approach, and is most well-known for his paintings of the streets of Hanoi. This lyrical approach can be seen in the painting by younger artist, Ha Tri Hieu (b.1959) in his abstract depiction of a country singer. Nghiem on the other hand, inspired a generation of artists in the appropriation of folk and village art imagery as in the works of Nguyen Xuan Tiep (b.1956) and Truong Tan (b.1962). Joyce Fan is Curator at Singapore Art Museum
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Singaporean photographer Choo Meng Foo and sound designer Jason Ang Mingqi collaborated for this video to complement the exhibition.
