After more than half a century of creative labor contributing to Vietnamese art in general and sculpture in particular, the first solo exhibition of sculptor Ta Quang Bao will take place at Lunet Art Galerie, No. 1 Thanh Nien Hanoi, from December 25, introduces the works of artists who have won the Ho Chi Minh Prize and the State Prize for literature and arts.
“The strength of Vietnamese artists is culture. Where in this world the strength is still traditional ethnic culture. Artists must know how to combine national art and modern art, how to both smoothly, not hard-dry.
Sculptor Ta Quang Thao
The “living monument” of sculpture
“I’m an artist born in a difficult country, trained in an environment where it’s not easy, sometimes there’s nothing to eat. In such difficult years, we still study hard for curiosity and want to become useful people for the country. The difficult period will pass. Today we have a peaceful and developing country, and we also have an environment to devote to art ”- sculptor Ta Quang Thao shared when talking about his artistic life.
Once a soldier, with the battlefield experience plus the love of his homeland, he spent most of his life making great art works for the country. With 18 monumental works built in many provinces and cities from the North to the South, such as the “Men and Women Militia” monument (Bac Giang); “Shining in the homeland” (Quang Tri); “Uncle Ho with the children of the Central Highlands” (Dak Lak) … Ta Quang Bao has become one of the few sculptors who composed and built the most monuments in Vietnam. He is also the first visual artist of the anti-American resistance generation to win the Ho Chi Minh Prize for literature and art (2016) for two works of the monumental “The Victory of Que Son” in Quang Nam and the statue. “Victory of Lo River” station in Phu Tho.
Ta Quang Thao is also a famous name for the art world with round sculpture sculptures on many materials, regularly participating in national art exhibitions, 10-year national sculpture exhibitions, and fine art exhibitions. on the subject of armed forces and revolutionary wars … His works are currently kept at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, Vietnam Military History Museum, Military Zone 5 Museum … and in private collections.
50 years in the way of art, he shared the period when he was most energetic and “dead”, after the country’s reunification. “At that time, there was difficulty in both the composition and the living. But I work tirelessly, with all my love and passion for art. Because before that was the stage in the battlefield, the time seemed to stop, most of me only painted and made statues. After peace, I have time to explore and hire to compose ideas for a long time.
“One winter day, we went to a small house in Hoa Lu alley, Hanoi, an old artist (80 years old) but with a very young soul, he was paralyzed in one hand due to a catastrophe but also because it was not cold but stopped bright. works, art labor … The image of a happy, skillful and passionate old man composed with one hand, surrounded by many large and small sculptures that the family has arranged to display as a museum miniature, a testament to the tireless work of art, a source of work that will never run out, ”said Luneta Art, Lunet Art Art Director.
After that, the sculpture art exhibition “Portrait of artist – sculptor Ta Quang Bao” was quickly prepared. 70 works, including many new ones, along with 10 works borrowed from private collections. The works have modern language and sculptural shapes, full of sensuality with bricks with surface tension, the reflection of light and movement, and convex and concave compositions creating a unique essence.
Each work has its own personality but is still unified to create a creative style of Ta Quang Bao. There, there are works that are strong emotions in the past, there are also works created when he observes and ponders with the surrounding reality; Sudden moments in life, romance in statues filled with passionate love … It is not difficult for viewers to realize that he devotes much love to women through statues with flexible appearance but Equally healthy and strong. He said, in this world there is nothing beautiful than women, especially gentle Vietnamese women, but also suffered many hardships, sacrifices, waiting for her husband in battle. The sacred motherhood, the mother embraces, supports and supports the children shown in many works, but when it comes to him, he is crying “I composed when I remember my mother” .. .
In this old and rare age, he still continued to be fascinated with art. Health does not allow fast work, he slows down, persisting day by day. He said: “Making art must be self-conscious, no need to be reminded, not because of a competition or a writing camp, and you always have pain about it, you will give it to you.”
Source: Thao Nguyen – People’s Representative
