BackArts & Culture » Music & Art » [Photos] An Artist's 'Transparent' Paintings Juxtapose Cultural Loss With Modern Freedoms

[Photos] An Artist's 'Transparent' Paintings Juxtapose Cultural Loss With Modern Freedoms

Should a nation hold on to its cultural traditions, or cast them off and embrace new liberal attitudes?

This question lies at the heart of much of the world's political discourse, and the tension it creates has led to vast arrays of creative output, from literature and film to music and art. 

In the following oil paintings, Nguyen Minh Nam dissects this conflict between new and old societal values through the use of 'transparent' paintings that compare female figures from tradition and modernity.

In each piece, faded black-and-white figures represent the culture of the past, while their modern counterparts appear in full color. The latter enjoy smoking and drinking and are often scantily clad; the former act almost like servants, or display the hardships they faced on the road to bringing the freedoms now enjoyed by contemporary Vietnamese. 

Is it possible to view these paintings without recognizing the co-existence of pride and regret? That is up to the viewer, but, as always, there is a price to be paid for change. When we gain a piece, we lose one too. 

 Take a look below:

Day After Day

One Day, One Life

The Heiress

30 Minutes Before The Wedding

A Dream

Concubines

A Historical Period

Survival of Empress Nam Phuong

Invisible War

The Heiress 01

After Breakfast


Related Articles:

[Photos] Rare 20th-Century Dong Ho Paintings Depict a Society in Flux

[Photos] Digging Into Hanoi's Emerging Street Art Scene

Q&A: Six Space Founder Le Giang on the Hard Work of Contemporary Vietnamese Art


Related Articles

in Music & Arts

1980s German Pop Duo Modern Talking to Perform in Hanoi This March

The once-hugely successful 1980s West Berlin pop band are set to play a gig in Hanoi's National Convention Center. 

in Music & Arts

A Look Inside Manzi's New Contemporary Art Exhibition Space

Manzi, one of Hanoi’s most well-known artistic hubs and a draw for creative crowds, is expanding.

in Music & Arts

Abstract Art Exhibition Examines Rural-Urban Divide From Two Perspectives

On February 20, VICAS Art Studio opened its latest exhibition, the endearingly named ‘EM CHÀO CÁC BÁC!’ (‘HI THERE, CITY FOLKS!’) Featuring new paintings from artists Doan Xuan Tung and Nguyen Nghia C...

in Music & Arts

Affordable Art Fair 'Art For You' Returns to Hanoi Next Week

Art For You, the art fair organized by Manzi Art Space and Workroom Four aimed at art enthusiasts who can't afford to shop at high-end galleries, is returning to Hanoi next week.

in Music & Arts

Amid Contemporary Colonial Nostalgia, New Printmaking Exhibition Deconstructs Indochina's Legacy

Contemporary artist Le Giang’s latest exhibition dissects Indochina’s legacy in the public imagination via a series of prints, a sound installation and a painting.

in Music & Arts

An Introduction to Hanoi's Flourishing Independent Music Scene

From fusion bands to pianists and close-knit young collectives, Hanoi’s independent music scene is blooming.

Partner Content