The familiar house 39A Ly Quoc Su
After a period of serious illness, artist Le Thiet Cuong passed away on the evening of July 17 at his home. He is considered one of the leading painters of the renovation period.
Sharing with Lao Dong reporter, critic Pham Xuan Nguyen still remembers the house at 39A Ly Quoc Su, which is both the private home of artist Le Thiet Cuong and a gallery for those who love painting and art.
Le Thiet Cuong built his own painting school. But he not only did it for himself but also for his colleagues and colleagues. His 39A house Ly Quoc Su has become a familiar address for literary and artistic lovers. He has contributed a prestigious voice to many exhibitions. When Le Thiet Cuong is the curator, it can be considered a guarantee for an art exhibition. Most recently, he curated the Thiep Ceramics Exhibition. In painting, there is such a thing as Le Thiet Cuong.
During his lifetime, artist Le Thiet Cuong painted covers for works by many critics, writers, and poets such as writer Nguyen Huy Thiep, researcher Hoang Ngoc Hien, writer Nguyen Quang Lap, critic Nguyen Thi Minh Thai, writer Nguyen Viet Ha, writer Trung Trung Dinh, writer Ta Duy Anh, poet Nguyen Quang Thieu... His book covers were painted beautifully and solemnly, demonstrating his ability to appreciate his impressive literary works.
Painter Le Thiet Cuong was tirelessly creative throughout the last year of his life. Despite his serious illness, he still organized the exhibition "Other sides" with two close friends, sculptor Dinh Cong Dat and writer Nguyen Viet Ha. In the middle of this year, he organized the exhibition "Gom Thiep" and launched the book "Conversation with painting".
When hearing the sad news, critic Pham Xuan Nguyen wrote a long post to his close friend. He confided: "Le Thiet Cuong has lived until his death. This saying is for him. Until the last days of his life, he was still active and creative. Although he has known that he has been suffering from a serious illness for a whole year, despite his increasingly poor health, he still publishes books, promising to have his own essay. Le Thiet Cuong has lived a life worth living".
What is left
In the contemporary Vietnamese fine arts world, painter Le Thiet Cuong is a prominent name. The works of artist Le Thiet Cuong, whether oil paintings or sculptures, are all unfinished and concentrated. minimalist style is a unique feature of Le Thiet Cuong's creative personality.
The passing of artist Le Thiet Cuong leaves a big gap in the hearts of the art world and art lovers. Many close friends and colleagues have expressed their gratitude and remembered him - a personality, a deep heart for art.
Poet Nguyen Quang Thieu - Chairman of the Vietnam Writers' Association wrote a farewell letter: "Cuong is only 63 years old this year. At that age, Cuong had only taken a shortcut in his life. But yesterday afternoon, Cuong demanded to go home. Cuong said "let's go to your mother". When he returned home, Cuong opened his eyes wide and looked around for a moment and closed his eyes into a coma. Finally, Cuong has been able to return home, where Cuong has lived in the most beautiful, creative, happiest and also most painful years, where his most sincere friends are with him, where Cuong shows his personality without any hiddenness: clever, talented, captivated, arrogant, kind, crazy, weak...".
Writer Do Bich Thuy confided that she has 10 books with covers and designs by artist Le Thiet Cuong. During her years of being close to the artist, writer Do Bich Thuy was moved by the image of an artist who is eager to live, living means working, working is happiness, it can be said that "taking advantage of every moment to live".
In the eyes of many friends in the art world, painter Le Thiet Cuong was a talented, individual, and outstanding person. Poet Do Anh Vu believes that Le Thiet Cuong was born and raised in the core area of Hanoi, so he is qualified to be sophisticated and talented. "Le Thiet Cuong is straightforward, even hot-tempered but very respectful, affirming, generous, and open-minded with his brothers and sisters. Le Thiet Cuong left a strong impression on contemporary Vietnamese fine arts with a minimalist style," said poet Do Anh Vu.
