From July 31st to August 2nd, the exhibition "Painting... The Genesis of Inspiration" by artist Rosemary Tran takes place at 22 Gallery, No. 22 Pham Cu Luong, Tan Son Hoa ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Open space for visitors from 10am to 6pm every day.
The exhibition can become a new stop in the journey to explore the cultural and artistic life of the city. Instead of just visiting familiar landmarks, visitors have the opportunity to learn about one of the typical materials of Vietnamese fine arts through the perspective of young people.
Lacquer has appeared for a long time in Vietnamese cultural life. By the 1930s, Vietnamese artists and students along with French lecturers at Indochina College of Fine Arts contributed to bringing this material into modern painting.
Over time, lacquer is no longer limited to landscape or rural living topics. Many artists use traditional materials to express stories about identity, society and contemporary life.
With Rosemary Tran, the exhibition begins with the question of whether lacquer can reflect global issues and change the way people perceive art.
The artist first approached lacquer in the summer of 2024. The learning and creative process requires a lot of effort, from processing materials, creating color layers to grinding surfaces to find the desired effect. At one point, she experienced allergic reactions due to contact with components in the paint but still decided to continue pursuing it.
The series of works introduced at the exhibition is inspired by familiar portraits in the history of Western painting, such as Sandro Botticelli's "Portrait of a Young Woman", Johannes Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring" and St. George Hare's portrait.
Rosemary Tran does not aim to copy or reproduce original masterpieces. She borrows expressions, poses, lights and compositions from old images, then interprets them with Vietnamese lacquer.
This combination creates a dialogue between East-West art, between tradition and present. Concepts of fashion, identity and beauty are also viewed from a perspective closer to the younger generation.
Besides the visual value, the exhibition also suggests the story of preserving heritage through creativity. A traditional material can only continue to live when it is learned, tested and placed in new contexts by later generations.
With its location near Tan Son Nhat airport, the exhibition is suitable for combining with a city tour itinerary. After enjoying the works, visitors can continue to explore cultural, culinary destinations and other creative spaces in the central area of Ho Chi Minh City.
