While grey clouds and rain may be dominating the skyline of Vietnam's capital Hanoi as autumnal climes begin to give way to more wintry ones, a group of young Chinese artists are more than brightening the mood at a cozy exhibition showcasing their stunning work.
There is a saying: "Art is never created in a vacuum", meaning the historical, cultural and social circumstances behind the creations and their creators are all inextricably linked and can be explored by audiences to gain a better understanding of the intentions and messages of the both artist and artifact.
To this end, "through the eyes of Chinese young artists, the works reflect the myriad developments of contemporary China as well as the inner world of the Chinese people," said Liu San Zhen, cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam, at the opening ceremony.
The exhibition displaying typical works by young Chinese artists kicked off in Hanoi on Tuesday and is being co-hosted by Vietnamese and Chinese culture ministries as well as the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam.
As many as 48 representative works by 13 artists who have been selected from hundreds of Chinese artists are being displayed at the exhibition.
"The works feature three main themes, including daily life in China, the inner world or psychology of Chinese people abstract themes," Chen Xiangning, deputy director of China Culture and External Affairs Corporation, told Xinhua at the opening.
"Arising from different contexts, different angles, in different presentation ways, representatives of young contemporary Chinese artists have shown their new thinking about the power of thoughts and the breath of life of young Chinese people," said Nguyen Trung Khanh, head of Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Department of International Cooperation.
Thanks to the exhibition, Vietnamese audiences can enjoy and somehow understand the new vigor of Chinese society, said the Vietnamese official.
On the walls, different patterns of modern paintings comprising charcoal drawings, pencil drawings, oil paintings and color powder paintings were on display.
"I like the oil painting called 'Objects' the most as the girl in the painting imparts a special feeling on her face," Dong Thi Duong, a 20-year-old student, told Xinhua.
Although she had to initially be prompted by a friend to attend the exhibition, Duong was soon fascinated by all the works and could not stop wandering around and contemplating them one by one.
"I think all the paintings here are of significant depth, which require the audience to repeatedly peruse and observe them to gain a better insight," the student said, adding that she would have severely regretted it if she had declined her friend's invitation to attend.
An extremely colorful painting by Zhang Hongli attracted a lot of attention from the local audience. One group of people followed by another stood in front of Zhang's work for long periods of time, as they were transported into a world of imagination and dreams.
The artist, just like a master of oil painting, creates fascinating new colors and fades and removes barriers among the palettes he uses.
"The work presents the artist's high technique in mixing colors. Different colors were mixed into a unified bloc, which is extremely difficult to do," Nguyen Huu Duc, a lecturer at Vietnam University of Fine Arts, explained, praising Zhang's creation.
As an art insider, Duc told Xinhua that he saw numerous astounding pieces at the exhibition showcasing the creators' individual, superlative techniques, while simultaneously communicating through their pieces varied stories about contemporary Chinese society.
"I like pieces that reflect a humanitarian viewpoint as well as revealing the excellent techniques of the artist," said Duc.
In some ways not dissimilar to Vietnam's contemporary art, the lecturer said the works by the young Chinese artists have shattered the boundaries on material use and forms of art, compared to traditional art.
"Some artists here only use cheap and normal materials like pencils or colored powder to paint, yet still create such beautiful works," Duc exclaimed.
Ha Nisi, a young Chinese artist who was born in 1986, was busy talking with the audience about her works. Ha brought four pencil paintings to the exhibition, which all show structures of buildings she loves.
"The process of urbanization is occurring very quickly in China. Skyscrapers can be seen everywhere. I use a pencil to sketch and depict such architecture," Ha told Xinhua.
On her first visit to Vietnam to join the exhibition, Ha found the Vietnamese capital Hanoi to be full of energy. "I hope that after seeing my pieces, Vietnamese people can feel the development in China," said the painter.
The exhibition, which opened on Tuesday, will last until Sunday.
