Inner beauty: Ton That Bang's Ngua Va Pho Xua (Rocking Horse and Old Street).

HCM CITY — Musician and artist Ton That Bang is exhibiting 28 oil paintings at HCM City's Tu Do Gallery that extol the virtues of women.

The 49-year-old artist said he wanted to highlight his message of love because "women are beautiful flowers, and we should love them and make them happier."

Bang, who has spent more than 20 years painting and making music, calls his exhibition Chuyen Tinh La Va Hoa (Stories of Leaves and Flowers).

"My works are like beautiful dreams that remind people how to live for women and love," he said. "Living without love makes people blind."

"Flowers meet leaves to make life. Men meet women to make love," said Bang. "I want viewers to enjoy the natural world."

Bang paints with bright colours like red, yellow, blue and orange to express his feelings of a loving world.

"These colours are often found in life, so I chose them to portray images of women, flowers and nature," he said.

"Even if you are old or young, child or adult, you should love women as they go on," he said, smiling.

Many images of women and young girls, playing and dancing, cover the surface of the canvases.

Bang is inspired by the people around him, including strangers.

"For me, the best works remind people that living is loving," he said.

Born in Quang Tri Province and raised in Hue, Bang graduated from Hue Art College's music faculty in 1989, but has been painting since an early age.

He has organised solo and group exhibitions at home and abroad, including Hong Kong, Singapore and the US.

Bang's exhibition runs through August 28 at Tu Do Gallery, 53 Ho Tung Mau St in District 1. Open hours are between 9am and 6pm. — VNS