Artwork exploration: A means to delve into one's personal interiority
In Ho Chi Minh City, a flourishing art market, specifically in painting, is gradually taking shape. It values spiritual depth and healing, captivating audiences with its stillness, both in the depth of the artwork and the introspection of the artist.
This type of painting emerges from the artist's core, touching a serene reality for those who encounter it. The current exhibition, "Sắc và Không" (Form and Emptiness), held at Chillala Art Space till June 8th, displays the work of Trần Trung Lĩnh.
The exhibition begins with a profound introduction: "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form", a quote from the Heart Sutra, is embodied through each layer of color and brushstroke. Initially, the paintings are bright, with vivid imagery and dynamic movement. As one moves deeper, the colors fade, the forms become simplified, and eventually, only black and white patches remain. This calmness mirrors a consciousness that has let go, no longer yearning.
This trend in painting, particularly after the impact of the pandemic, has seen many artists adopting minimalism as a path to the infinite. From Eastern ink painting to sumi-e, to Western abstraction, this approach invites viewers not just to admire art but to awaken.
Lĩnh explained to Sài Gòn Giải Phóng newspaper, a work is not merely a visual art; it is a metaphor for consciousness. "When color dissolves, the viewer faces silence, not emptiness, but the fullness of awareness," he said.
The Buddhist-inspired paintings aim to evoke a shared sense of peaceful reality in viewers. However, Lĩnh considers whether it truly touches meditation to be a personal contemplation.
Similarly, the exhibition "Women Painting Women" at the HCM City Fine Arts Association, while details are not explicitly provided, shares thematic resonance. It offers women a platform to share their life stories and experiences through painting, creating a space for empathy, reflection, and finding oneself in stories that seem to belong to others.
The exhibition 'Sắc và Không' (Form and Emptiness) is currently held at Chillala Art Space. Photo sggp.org.vn
The growing cultural and social need for art that speaks to collective and individual experiences of trauma, healing, and empowerment is underlined by such exhibitions. It provides a meaningful, contemplative experience to both local and international audiences, reflecting a significant movement in contemporary art towards introspection, emotional resonance, and philosophical exploration.
- Interestingly, the trend in painting after the pandemic has led many artists to adopt minimalism as a path to the infinite, such as in the exhibition 'Sạc và Không' (Form and Emptiness) held at Chillala Art Space.
- In an interview with Sài Gòn Giải Phóng newspaper, Trần Trung Lĩnh expressed that a work of art is not merely a visual piece; it is a metaphor for consciousness, where when color dissolves, the viewer faces silence, not emptiness, but the fullness of awareness.
- Furthermore, the exhibition "Women Painting Women" at the HCM City Fine Arts Association, despite not providing explicit details, shares thematic resonance, offering women a space to share their life stories and experiences through painting, promoting empathy, reflection, and personal growth.
- Contemporary art is evolving, and exhibitions such as 'Sạc và Không' and "Women Painting Women" highlight a significant movement towards introspection, emotional resonance, and philosophical exploration, reflecting the cultural and social need for arts that speak to collective and individual experiences of trauma, healing, and empowerment. This movement could potentially expand to other realms, such as space exploration, AI development, energy production, and even personal growth and mindfulness practices.
