Bright and beautiful: Lieu Nguyen's acrylic on canvas Hoa Dao 2 (Peach Blossom 2) on show at the Coming of Age group exhibition that celebrates the fifth anniversary of the founding of the Craig Thomas Gallery in HCM City.

HCM CITY (VNS) — A group exhibition featuring works by 14 Vietnamese artists will has opened yesterday to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the founding of the Craig Thomas Gallery.

The Coming of Age exhibition is an eclectic mix of painting, sculpture and installation works realised especially for the occasion.

The artists on show include those who have been with the gallery since it opened, Lieu Nguyen, Lim Khim Ka Ty, Tran Quoc Tuan, and Bui Tien Tuan, and those who joined later like Pham Huy Thong, Bui Thanh Tam, Nguyen The Hung, Ngo Van Sac and Tran Minh Tam.

In addition, several artists with whom the gallery will be working in the near future, take part as well. They includes established sculptor Bui Hai Son, expressionist painter Doan Hoang Lam and digital painter and illustrator Khoa Le.

Since its founding in 2009, Craig Thomas Gallery has seen artists such as Lim Khim Ka Ty, Luong Luu Bien and Lieu Nguyen soar to new heights, holding exhibitions with galleries in Singapore and Hong Kong.

In its past two years, the gallery has also cemented relationships with established Hanoian artists Pham Huy Thong and Bui Thanh Tam.

This year also marked the first time the gallery joined an international art fair, the Affordable Art Fair (AAF) in Hong Kong, in March that gave the gallery an opportunity to introduce artists who have never been seen outside Viet Nam to an international audience.

The exhibition will close on July 18. Craig Thomas Gallery is located at 27i Tran Nhat Duat Street, District 1, HCM City. — VNS