| Vietnamese fine art, within a span of the last 15 years | | | | and my motto is to live by the brush and to die by the |
| or so, has truly come to the forefront of the art world. | | | | brush.” |
| After years of languishing under a provincial existence, | | | | Xuan Doan is inspired by all things in nature, especially |
| Vietnamese fine art has finally broken free from the | | | | daily life with ancient houses, old streets and common |
| shackles of its cloistered past. It’s boldly making | | | | people. The use of vibrant colors and bold |
| its presence felt to a global audience and rapidly | | | | brushstrokes make each of Xuan Doan’s |
| coming to the forefront of international fine arts. Indeed, | | | | canvases come alive with a shimmering life of its own. |
| Vietnamese fine art is the new buzzword in the | | | | The themes are drawn from everyday life and exhibit |
| cultural arena. | | | | a kind of simplicity that simply spellbinds. The paintings |
| The recent emancipation of Vietnamese fine arts has | | | | are like broken pieces of a very large mirror, every |
| made the world familiar with some of the best names | | | | shard reflecting a slice of life drawn from everyday |
| in the area. Names such as Bui Huu Hung, Nguyen | | | | mundane chores. |
| Thanh Binh, Ho Huu Thu, Do Duy Tuan, Hoang Hai Anh, | | | | Xuan Doan’s paintings are collected by the |
| Tran Quang Dinh, Quan Tho, Nguyen Thanh Hoa, Le | | | | Luxury hotel, the Park Hyatt Saigon. More than 30 of |
| Thua and Do Xuan Doan have become known to | | | | his larger works are displayed prominently at the |
| many art lovers from all over the globe. Of these, the | | | | Lobby area of this hotel. His works are also present in |
| last name on the list, Do Xuan Doan, holds a special | | | | private collections in Vietnam, France, Italy, Swiss, |
| place in everyone’s heart. A renowned artist | | | | Germany, Japan, Singapore, England and the USA. |
| from Vietnam, Xuan Doan is a true veteran in the field | | | | Doan’s work has also been exhibited at the |
| of fine arts. His contribution to the growth and | | | | Vietnamese Culture Week exhibition in Belgium and |
| development of Vietnamese fine arts has been | | | | France. |
| tremendous. His works can be found at some of the | | | | The contemporary art scene of Vietnam is buzzing |
| most prestigious locations around the globe. | | | | with activity like never before. This is to be attributed |
| Let’s take a closer look at this extraordinary | | | | not only to strong commercial reasons, but also to the |
| personality. | | | | commitment of artists and dealers to create and |
| Do Xuan Doan was born in 1937 in Hanoi. He | | | | promote quality work. One cannot help but wonder in |
| graduated from the prestigious Hanoi Fine Arts | | | | awe when one looks upon the radical metamorphosis |
| University in 1961 and was a student of Master Nguyen | | | | of Vietnamese art over the last few years. Less than |
| Gia Tri. When asked about his source of inspiration, Do | | | | a decade ago, contemporary Vietnamese fine art and |
| Xuan Doan confesses that it comes from his within his | | | | artists had negligible presence in their own country and |
| heart and his soul. At over 70 years old, this | | | | virtually none on the international art scene. Today, |
| septuagenarian continues to paint with the zeal and | | | | artwork of artists such as Do Xuan Doan has found |
| fervor of his younger contemporaries, and creates | | | | its way into international art galleries, with more artists |
| exquisite pieces of art, dedicated to the beauty and | | | | following suit. It can be safely assumed that |
| the quintessence of life and emotional states. Xuan | | | | Vietnamese fine art has indeed come a long way. |
| Doan once said, “Painting is my greatest passion | | | | |