Painter Trung Son is presenting his first solo exhibition, "Giua sac va khong" (Between Color and Emptiness), featuring oil paintings that capture the essence of young Vietnamese women. The exhibition runs from 6-10/1 at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi, offering viewers a unique perspective on traditional beauty through a contemporary lens.

The painter portrays young women's gentle features through the work "Nang xanh" (Green Sunlight), an oil on canvas. The painting is presented at the "Giua sac va khong" (Between Color and Emptiness) exhibition, held from 6-10/1 at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi.

Trung Son's artistic style is characterized by its minimalist composition and profound philosophical undertones. He spent eight years exploring materials and themes, dedicating the last two years to creating this particular series. The concept behind the paintings embodies a Buddhist spirit, suggesting the philosophy "form is emptiness, emptiness is form". This idea is subtly conveyed through his use of basic colors—yellow, blue, and red—as backgrounds, which, upon extended viewing, allow spectators to perceive a gradual dissolution of the figure and colors, leading to a state of tranquility within a void. This effect is clearly demonstrated in works like "Thieu nu mong mo 1" (Dreamy Young Woman 1).

Thanks to the painter's use of color, viewers perceive the girl in "Thieu nu ao xanh" (Girl in Blue Dress) as appearing to stand in a vast void.

In his portraits, such as "Tuoi mo 1" (Dream Age 1), Trung Son depicts girls in traditional white ao dai, using vibrant monochromatic backgrounds to highlight the subject. He does not focus on precisely depicting the model's facial features but rather relies on his own feelings, retaining only the most characteristic details. In some works, the painter initially drew chairs for the girls, then gradually removed them, portraying figures in a sitting posture but without support. This compositional choice creates a space for the audience to "step into" and form their own interpretations.

"Thieu nu mong mo 5" (Dreamy Young Woman 5), measures 120x70 cm. According to Trung Son, when creating, he does not focus on precisely depicting the model's facial features but instead relies on his own feelings, retaining only the most characteristic details.

Painter Trung Son uses basic colors like yellow, blue, and red as backgrounds. Upon longer viewing, spectators gradually sense the dissolution of the figure and colors, transitioning into a state of tranquility within a void. This is clearly shown in "Thieu nu mong mo 1" (Dreamy Young Woman 1).

A recurring image in Trung Son's paintings is a small red or pink horse, often held by the young woman or placed beside her. The painter states that the horse symbolizes dynamism and a desire to explore the world, mirroring the soul of an adolescent girl and revealing the silent inner movements of the character.

In some works, the painter initially drew chairs for the girls, then gradually removed them. The figures are depicted in a sitting posture but without support, creating a space for the audience to ''step into'' and form their own interpretations.

A recurring image in Trung Son's paintings is a small red or pink horse, held by the young woman or placed beside her. The painter states that the horse symbolizes dynamism and a desire to explore the world, mirroring the soul of an adolescent girl, revealing silent inner movements of the character.

Art collector Ngo Kim Khoi, the exhibition's curator, offered his perspective on Trung Son's work. He says that when visiting the display area, viewers will enter a realm where "colors breathe and light converses". Khoi was particularly impressed by the minimalist composition, noting the absence of background, scenery, or illustrative stories, with only the young woman and color remaining. He likens the girls to standing in a "haven of solitude" of colors, yet this very simplicity makes the figures shine brightly.

Art collector Ngo Kim Khoi, the exhibition's curator, says that when visiting the display area, viewers will enter a realm where ''colors breathe and light converses''.

Ngo Kim Khoi was impressed by the minimalist composition, no background, scenery, or illustrative story, only the young woman and color. He likens the girls to standing in a ''haven of solitude'' of colors, yet this makes the figures shine brightly.

Born in 1980 in Hue, painter Trung Son, also known as Ngo Tran Vu, initially viewed painting as a hobby for socializing. He later pursued it seriously after turning 30. Trung Son is self-taught, researching and creating with various materials and themes, and enjoys realistic portrait painting. He chose Hanoi to host his first solo exhibition, as it was instrumental in nurturing his love for art and sustaining his painting career to this day.

Phuong Linh