About the artwork
In his recent works Hong depicts Ha Long Bay, with his works emanating a calm and serene quality that is ironic to its legendary origin. 'Ha Long' is directly translated as 'Bay of descending Dragons'. According to ancient belief, in an attempt to save the Vietnamese people from foreign invasion, these dragons spewed pearls that formed the scattered limestone structures of today. Instead of the chaos that constitutes this ancient belief, in this work the artist uses a monochromatic colour palette to convey a palpable sense of tranquility and stillness. Hong uses simplicity to present the very essence of his works to the viewers, simple yet stunning.
About the artist
Hailing from Hanoi, Vietnam, Hong Viet Dung was born in 1962 and apprenticed at the Pham Viet Son Painting Studio in 1979 before joining the Hanoi Industrial College of Fine Arts in 1984. Hong graduated with a degree in painting and later went on to becoming one of the founding members of the Gang of Five, a member of the Vietnam Plastic Art Association and the Literature and Art Association. As a painter, Hong has exhibited in several countries including Russia, Germany, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Norway, USA, Australia and Great Britain. He has also participated in the Europ'Art International ArtFair in Geneva, Switzerland. Hong held a retrospective of work in the collection of the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum and Singapore Art Museum. His works have been auctioned in international auction houses like Christies.
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