Duong Sen was born Duong Van Sen in 1949 in Quynh Doi Commune, Quynh Luu District, Nghe An Province. He decided to follow a career in painting but had to put his dream aside to join the army to fight in the southern battlefield for national salvation.
After reunification in 1975, he studied at the Faculty of Graphic Design at Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts University. In 1983 he graduated and was appointed to work at Song Be (present-day Binh Duong) Provincial Police Department. But his strong passion for painting drove him to quit the job and whole heartedly devote his life to painting as he once had dreamed of doing.
Duong Sen first sent his works to be displayed in 1993 but only three years later did he officially enter into the career of a professional painter when he joined the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association. “Then my life began to be about painting,” said he.
Artist Duong Sen is famous for traditional lacquer. Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP Duong Sen’s lacquer workshop at his house. Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP
The technique of inlaying eggshells to create colours. Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP
A beautiful lacquer painting requires complicated colour processing stages, including that of a using gold-gilding technique. Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP
Duong Sen’s lacquer work:
Abstract lacquer: Love of the Sea (80 x 160cm)
Abstract lacquer: Memory of Truong Son ( 80 x 180cm)
Abstract lacquer: Love for Nature (80 x 80cm)
Abstract lacquer: Comes the Horse (100 x 180cm)
Abstract lacquer: Mid-Autumn Night (120 x 120cm)
Abstract lacquer: No. 5 (80 x 80cm)
Abstract lacquer: No. 16 (100 x 180cm)
Abstract lacquer: Highland Festival ( 120 x 160cm)
Abstract lacquer: Deep in Thought (80 x 80cm)
| « Artist Duong Sen is a member of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association and a member of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association. He has received many honourable awards in fine arts, namely the Certificate of Merit for the Philip Morris’ Art Award four consecutive years (1997-2000), the Medal for the Development of Vietnam Fine Arts and the Medal for the Development of Vietnamese Arts and Culture. » |
After that he kept painting and showing his works at several exhibitions. From Ho Chi Minh City, he brought his paintings to Hue, Hanoi and even abroad to show which were well received by people everywhere. His paintings are displayed in most museums in Vietnam, and have even made their way to the US, France, Germany, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Canada, Singapore, Australia and Thailand.
It can be said that Duong Sen has devoted his whole life to traditional lacquer in an abstract style. Art lovers are impressed by his paintings, especially “Young Lady and Flowers”, “Deep in Thought”, “Mid-Autumn Night”, “Memory of Truong Son” and “Love of the Sea”
Duong Sen’s work is simple, lively, delicate and poetic with several topics of Vietnamese villages, Buddhism, traditional folk games, or festivals.
He thinks that observing a piece of abstract art is similar to listening to music. If a musical tone makes one think of murmuring streams, or a horse’s neigh, then colour in a painting can do the same. So, one has to look carefully at a painting, at its colour to grasp the feeling deep inside.
Recently, Duong Sen has experimented with oil painting in order to refresh his “mental offspring”. “This is a way to change the menu so new ideas will come to lacquer,” said he. He also held his 16th private exhibition at the headquarters of the Fine Art Association of Ho Chi Minh City (218A Pasteur Street, District No. 3) with the theme of “Vietnamese Villages” showcasing 45 works of lacquer of countryside scenes nationwide.
Duong Sen’s oil paintings:
Oil painting: Vietnamese Village No. 19 (70 x 80cm) Oil painting: Vietnamese Village No. 27 (60 x 80cm) Oil painting: Vietnamese Village No. 29 (70 x 80cm) Story: Do Van – Photo: Nguyen Luan
Đăng ký: VietNam News
