Promenade dans la nuit (Walk in the night) 1998
Lacquer on board
6 pieces: 120 x 76cm (each)
120 x 456cm (overall)
Collection: The artist

Vu Thang is one of the most prominent, younger generation, lacquer painters in Hanoi. Traditionally used for decorative purposes, lacquer has in recent years been undergoing a revival as a medium of artistic expression in Vietnam. Vu Thang’s individual and non-traditional use of lacquer incorporates materials such as plaster, pebbles and cement. The layering of these elements results in a surface with marked variations in height and texture. His work is inspired by traditional Vietnamese art, ancient rock engravings, the sculpture of the funerary houses of Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands), and is informed by cubist influences. His large, poetic painting Promenade dans la nuit (Midnight walk) combines human and animal figures presented against a meditative background.

Artist's statement:

The set of four lacquer paintings named The four seasons is classified in line with the primitive structure, in which combining of instinct elements and surrealist forms. This likes the time-rocks flown in the space.

Each of its side, the human imprints are embodied. Starting from the first painting to the finishing episode of the fourth one, these paintings manifest sentiment axis of the relatives.

In the intimates deepest points, it's able to feel the "motherly love" embodied in simple structure and appearance.

Lacquer materials create deep, warm and low colouration. The eyes, faces, or arms and legs combined in condensed groups of men.

The philosophical nature of the works embodies by incoherent and clearent features on the face of the characters. To point out the exaggeration through the image of straight glint to the viewers as desesperation by the suffering and lost of life and hopes to the destiny of the happiness and existence.

The combination of the four paintings aren't the reviews of the destiny in the time.. All of them are the experiment of my life in the daily one, all them are very family and near to me.