Vincom Center for Contemporary Art

Commemorating 10 years after painter Luu Cong Nhan passed away, Vincom Center for Contemporary Art (VCCA) will officially open the "Stroke" Exhibition with the hugest collection of paintings selected by curator Le Thiet Cuong. The exhibition will open from 25 August - 24 September at VCCA, B1-R3 Vincom Royal City, Nguyen Trai, Hanoi.

Flower Still-life (1993) - Color powder on paper - 41x52cm

"Stroke" is the first official personal exhibition after 1975 in Hanoi of artist Luu Cong Nhan, organized by VCCA in cooperation with Gallery 39 to bring to the public one of the representatives of realism style in Vietnamese art.

"Stroke" includes more than 50 artworks of the artist selected from over 400 paintings from the hugest collection of paintings owned by collector Nguyen Phuc Huong. The artworks presented in "Strokes"  are from  many theme groups, including famous artworks of female portraits, nudes on various materials such as oil painting, paper , color powder, wax powder, water color, charcoal painting ... Especially, at the exhibition, the public can enjoy one of the most famous paintings “Erasing Illiteracy” of Luu Cong Nhan in the size of 160 x 130cm with oil paintings, painted in 1955.

Beside the collection of Nguyen Phuc Huong as the main collection, this is also a rare opportunity for the public to observe the artwork "Female workers in construction site" of Luu Cong Nhan from the collection of Apricot.

In the framework of "Stroke" exhibition, painter Le Thiet Cuong - curator of the exhibition will also have a talk show on the art style of “watercolor master” Luu Cong Nhan, his influence to Vietnamese fine arts and the artist's anniversary on August 29^th

Graduating from the School of Fine Arts in Viet Bac (1950-1953), Luu Cong Nhan (1931-2007) was one of the best pupils of To Ngoc Van. He was also influenced by the French painter Auguste Renoir (1841 - 1919) with the notion of expressive style, always emphasize the natural beauty, especially the beauty of a woman's body.

The beauty in artworks of Luu Cong Nhan always combines two elements which are the charming and rustic side with luxury and modern side, whether he painted with oil on canvas or watercolor on paper. He contributed to the shaping of Vietnamese modern art on the world map with artworks exhibiting at international exhibition such as Vienne Biennal V (1959), Prague (1960), Berlin (1964), Bucharest (1968, 1960), Paris (1980) ... The artworks of the famous artist Luu Cong Nhan were evaluated by Nguyen Quan Fine Arts critic as "follow the lyrical of Indochinese painting by the optimistic reality of the Resistance War".

The "Stroke" Exhibition will take place from 25th August to 24th September at t Vincom Center for Contemporary Art (VCCA), B1-R3 VIncom Royal City, 72 Nguyen Trai, Ha Noi (free entry). This is the first event of the Public Exhibition line besides the Conceptual Exhibition line - with the first exhibition "Season 1: The Foliage" will continuously be held at VCCA. If the Concept Exhibition line is a series of regional and international art practices, the Public Exhibition line offers the public an opportunity to learn more about the masters of art, famous or promising artist of  Vietnamese art.

Officially opened on June 6^th, VCCA has quickly become one of the most attractive art centers of Hanoi. After one month of putting into operation, VCCA has welcomed more than 43,000 visitors. In parallel with the exhibition activities, live painting will be held at the VCCA from August to the end of October 2017, with the participation of many national and international artists, along with many art activities such as workshops, mini-shows ... The program is free entry and is regularly updated on the website and fanpage of the Center./.

Painter LUU CONG NHAN

Luu Cong Nhan was born on July 5^th in 1931 in his father’s hometown, Lau Thuong village, Hac Tri district, Phu Tho province. His mother’s hometown was the neighboring village: the Duy Lau village in the same district. From 1950 to 1954, he studied at the College of Fine Arts of Vietnam, then worked at the Political Directorate (1953-1955). From 1955 to 1965, he took over the Hanoi School of Art and became a lecturer at the Hanoi University of Industrial Fine Arts, painter at Vietnamese Fine Arts Association.

All artworks of Luu Cong Nhan contribute to the great movement of Vietnamese modern art. He has been awarded many noble titles such as the State Prize (first round of 2002 ), Nationwide Exhibition Award 1951 - 1960, the 1959 Vienne International Exhibition Award, the Medal of Resistance against French Fascist III, the Medal of Resistance against American Fascist I, the Medal of Labor I, Medal for the Fine Arts Career ...

Typical Artworks:

            * A plough (82x105cm, 1960), oil paint on canvas

            *  Erasing Illiteracy (160x130cm, 1955), oil paint on canvas

            * Hành quân (130x97cm, 1950), sơn dầu trên vải/A hike (130x97cm, 1950), oil paint on canvas

            *  Gate of mother’s house(51x33, 1995), windowpane oyster paper