Continuing and innovating family heritage
Born into a family with three generations pursuing art, with his grandfather being People's Artist Chu Manh Chan and father being Meritorious Artist Chu Luong, painter Chu Nhat Quang (born in 1995) was soon nurtured in his love for lacquer. Although he has studied abroad for 7 years and absorbed Western painting thinking, he still decided to return and choose traditional materials as his path to contribute.
"I was born and raised in a family with an artistic tradition and especially lacquer. When returning home, I imbued the spirit of preserving and protecting the traditional values and identities of my country," artist Quang shared.
For him, this is not only a continuation of the family tradition but also the responsibility of a young person with national heritage. He boldly researched and successfully presented works on large, bulky figures made from recycled materials, instead of having to cut and join them like regular wooden figures. These works, with an area of nearly 20m2, have become a personal mark, a "brand" of Chu Nhat Quang in the painting world.
However, this artistic journey is not easy. According to Meritorious Artist Chu Luong, painting lacquer requires extraordinary perseverance.
"Sized paint has its own characteristics... When the paint is formed, when the painting is at the finishing stage, the painting can change to another color. That is why artists have to be very persistent," said Meritorious Artist Chu Luong.
In addition, the implementation of large-scale works requires a large team of collaborators, working well to control quality and progress.
Telling history in the language of painting
Following the success of the exhibition "Sacred imprint", fans are eagerly waiting for 20 works in the exhibition "Independence Spring". The project was held at the Ho Chi Minh Museum (Hanoi) in mid-August, on the occasion of the 80th Anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2.
In the space of "Independence Spring", viewers will see the image of Lung Cu flagpole at the head of the Fatherland, the legendary Truong Son street, the Dragon House Wharf where Uncle Ho went to find a way to save the country, and the Doc Lap Dynasty on the day of great victory.
The special highlight of the exhibition is the two two lacquer paintings "Uncle Ho reads the Declaration of Independence" and "The North and South are unified". With a massive size, each weight of up to several tons, these works vividly depict the image of President Ho Chi Minh and the heroic milestones of the nation. Along with that is a series of paintings "Uncle Ho's Road", recreating his great journey to save the country.
Ms. Hoang Yen Nhi - Head of the collaborative painting group - said: "The first exhibition was an emotional journey for me... Coming to this second exhibition, I feel very honored and also a special mark for Mr. Quang and the participants".
Under the eyes of young people, historical events are recreated not dry but lively, carrying a contemporary breath. As Meritorious Artist Chu Luong proudly shared about his son: "The good and unique thing is that Quang creates paintings with historical themes under the eyes of today's young people. I am very happy that they have been able to feel and think about history in the right direction and have started to take on the role of artists in the responsibility of the country and the nation.
