y Nguyen Da Quyen. — Photo Vietnamplus

HCM CITY (VNS) — An art exhibition Mixed Media Paintings, displaying works by Nguyen Da Quyen, winner of an Asian Creative Award last year, will open on June 12 – July 17 at the Workshop Cafe in District 1.

The paintings express deep social problems with the use of simple brushstrokes and colours.

She captures the everyday life of Viet Nam under the pictures' names of Doi Thoai (Dialogue), Giac Mo (Dream), and Mo Hon Don (Chaos). The "communication world" with metaphoric stories and daily news is depicted.

Other paintings such as Chung Cu (Dormitory), Nhung Cuc Gach (Bricks), and Hop Trong Hop (Box in Box) are shown as a "piece of music" about the beauty of life.

Modern urban life is expressed through Cap Doi (Couple), Xe May (Motorbike), Song Trong Man Hinh (Live in a Screen) pictures.

Artist Da Quyen said painting was a way to help connect to her internal life and everyday life.

"With art, I feel like I am re-birthed, transforming myself from the ‘have-to' bonsai to the wild-but-free plant in the jungle."

She believes that everyone can be an artist if they expose themselves to the arts and are encouraged to express themselves freely without any pre-conceptions or limits.

The Asian Creative Awards (ACA) Vol.1 2014 was organised by Asian Creative Network with thousands of artists from 26 Asian countries.

The inaugural Asian Creative Awards was initiated to look for graphic artwork that will be in the forefront of the Asian creative scene.

The aim of ACA is to support the next generation of artists in the region by providing them opportunities to present their work abroad. — VNS