Vietnamese Artists

Vietnam has many incredible artists and galleries, and after spending a month here, I gained a better appreciation for Vietnamese art. Nguyen Tien Chung and Pham Hoang Minh are two favorite Vietnamese artists.

Nguyen Tien Chung, Pham Hoang Minh

Chung was born in Hanoi and graduated from the Indochina Fine Arts College. Minh graduated from the Hanoi Institute of Industrial Fine Arts, where his creative specialty was large monumental wall paintings.

Woodcutting, Lacquer, Silk Paintings

Chung creates woodcutting, lacquer, and silk paintings focusing on the rural lives of Vietnamese people. In 1946, Chung won the Grand Prize at the National Fine Arts Exhibition in Vietnam. From 1955 to 1965, he taught at the Fine Arts College of Vietnam, where many of his artworks are displayed.

History and Influence

“Vietnamese art absorbed many Chinese influences, starting with a millennium of Chinese domination beginning in the 2nd century BC. This continued after Vietnam gained independence from China in the 10th century AD. By the 19th century, French influence took hold in Vietnam and helped shape the birth of modern Vietnamese art. However, despite Chinese and French influences, Vietnamese art has always retained its own distinctively Vietnamese characteristics.”