HÀ NỘI  A painting exhibition at the Việt Nam Fine Arts Museum depicts the beauty of the country, people and nature through the lens of an architect. 

Entitled Bóng Xưa - Sắc Hoa (Shadows from the Past - The Colours of Flowers), the exhibition showcases 65 watercolours by architect Hoàng Đạo Kính.

Oriental characteristics are always strongly present in every painting he draws, according to Việt Nam Fine Arts Association Chairman Lương Xuân Đoàn. 

"He chooses flowers as a peaceful inspiration to his soul," Đoàn said. "His still lifes are light, delicate and vibrant, while he shows his passion for Vietnamese landscapes and people."

Kính is a popular architect who considers fine arts as a hobby that helps him relax. He is passionate about painting flowers and has held exhibitions in Hà Nội, Huế and Warsaw, Poland.

Aged 84, the architectural theorist and critic is an expert in preservation and restoration of architectural relics and heritage. He has also made a name as a painter and has published books on the preservation of cultural heritage and architecture. Kính is currently a member of the National Cultural Heritage Committee.

He and his colleagues have restored and renovated famous historical sites in Hà Nội, such as the pavilion for the doctoral steles at the Văn Miếu - Quốc Tử Giám (Temple of Literature - Imperial Academy) complex and Hà Nội Opera House.

In addition, he has also preserved and restored other heritage sites including the Tây Đằng Communal House, Kim Liên Pagoda, Tây Phương Pagoda and Thầy Pagoda.

The exhibition displays paintings that evoke the nostalgic beauty of old Hà Nội, imbued with a romantic melancholy, yet still fresh and full of vitality, containing the painter's memories, aspirations and concerns.

Looking at his paintings, viewers are immersed in the depth of human memories, lost in nostalgia and a world of flowers that are both illusion and reality. His paintings also contain profound philosophies about life, showing the balance and harmony between conservation and development and between the past and the present.

 

"In recent years, for me, painting has been an undeniable passion," Kính said at the exhibition opening ceremony.

"Wherever I go, I see compositions and a world of colours blending together. It forces me to grab and express them through the vibrancy of watercolours."

He said that he paints as if he is in dialogue with time, the land and people in a language that only those who really listen can understand. The exhibition is a space of memories, a very private inner world where flowers can tell stories.

The exhibition runs until June 10 at the museum at 66 Nguyễn Thái Học Street.  VNS