Artworks on Year of the Dog

Chuyen Tro 1, Conversation 1. Pastel by Do Dung

HA NOI — About 100 paintings, sculptures and ceramic artworks are on display at an exhibition to welcome the Year of the Dog at Hang Da Galleria in Ha Noi.

The exhibition entitled Tuat Dome 2018 features artworks by nearly 20 artists including Nguyen Quoc Thai, Do Dung and Tran Anh Quan.

From northern Hai Phong City, Thai has two paintings at the exhibition.

Nho, Mising. Oil on canvas by Hoang Anh Tuan

His oil-on-canvas paintings are sized at 40cm by 50cm titled Mau Tuat 1 and Mau Tuat 2. Thai uses red and shades of blue drawing a dog on red background in Mau Tuat 1. The painting portrays a dog lying down with its head turns back to discover something.

“The dog is familiar animal to us, when I was invited to paint a dog for this exhibition I thought I could paint it immediately," Thai.

The dog is one of the 12 animals of the Vietnamese zodiac.

Tuat, Dog. Oil on canvas by Lam Duc Manh

This is the fourth consecutive year the exhibition of the 12 animals of the Vietnamese zodiac has been held ahead of Tet (Lunar New Year) by the G39 artist group and Hang Da Galleria.

Do Dung is one artists with many dog paintings at the exhibition. Four of his bright pastel paintings bring warm feelings at the beginning spring.

In the pastel paintings entitled Chuyen Tro 1 (Chat 1), Chuyen Tro 2 (Chat 2) and Cho Muc and Cho Da (Black Dog and Stone Dog), dogs are personified as people.

Green Day oil on canvas by Tran Anh Quan

"I focus on the exchange between a stone-made dog and a real dog," said Dung. "It is the stone-made dog but it also has soul.”

"I am told many interesting stories about stone-made dogs. Stone-made dog statues are placed in front of house gates to watch. A tale tells that a thief has to bring item back because he was scared of stone-made dog watching him," Dung said.

Tuat Dome 2018 also features paintings on landscape, flowers and woman representing the beauty of spring. All the works are for sale until February 12 at No1 Hang Da Street. — VNS