Evolving: Cau Chuyen Xua (Old Story) is one of the paintings in artist Luong Luu Bien's latest exhibition, now open at the Sofitel Saigon Plaza until April 20.

From heavy tones, Bien shifts to a lighter vibe

HCM CITY (VNS)  — Artist Luong Luu Bien's most recent exhibition, Evolution, alongside his first show Fossils from 2009 is on show at the Sofitel Saigon Plaza until April 20, hosted by the Craig Thomas Gallery.

As referred to in the title Evolution, Bien's current exhibition is a series of paintings that radiate feelings of lightness, movement and, in some cases, unrestrained joy, and marks a dramatic change from the heavy and melancholy tone that has been the hallmark of Bien's earlier work.

"What has not changed is his unique sense of style in which employs techniques learned studying lacquer painting to create mixed media works that have the effect of being sculptures painted onto canvas," said the press release.

"I am intrigued by a theatre movement I once heard of where the actors put on plays without any costumes or make-up and yet still managed to make audiences lose themselves in the story," Bien said.

"I feel the same way about my paintings. The artistic language of my paintings should be enough to create a mood or mental state and there is no need for clothing or imagery to clarify things any more than that. I am more concerned with viewers ‘feeling' my paintings than I am with their ‘understanding' them."

The characters in Bien's paintings are depicted naked and placed in a world devoid of any context but colour. — VNS