Tran Luu Hau (1928 - 2020)
Biography
Tran Luu Hau was born in 1928 in Hanoi, graduated from the School of Resistance Arts (1950 – 1953) taught by To Ngoc Van, then graduated from the Moscow Academy of Fine Arts (1960).
As one of the most prominent painters of Vietnamese art in the 80s and 90s, Tran Luu Hau has contributed both in art style and the viewpoint in the art. He has a colorful palette, the strong brushes, the red, white, blue – he uses these original and pure colors to blend with together naturally as they come from his creative moment of ecstasy, as accidental – it is the accident that only the masters can do.
In Tran Luu Hau’s works, landscapes and things sometimes express in a strongly drawing style, sometimes they burst into in an inspirational region of colors, so that no matter what the scene is, no matter what color is joyful on the background. The landscape is the main object of the artist, or scenes and images are just a pretext for the artist expresses his personal voice inside?
His paintings glittering the curves of the mountains, sticky foliage, leaves, trunks, and there are only a few ambiguous features clinging to hold the reality. The red lines fiercing over the black lines, the dark grey lines surfing on the light grey lines ….This can make the picture in a messy but it is still visible, the more we watch the picture, the more it is obvious, the layers, the colors, the lines, they appear side by side, overlapping on each other in a mysterious harmony.
A stroke of color, a vertical stroke, a dot… still are difficult to subtract or add … The artistic creation, so that it is becoming deeper and more delicate, although the viewers of his paintings are likely to stand before a visual party of painting.
His works has appeared in many numerous exhibitions, museums, international auctions and important collections in Vietnam and many other countries all over the world.
- Một người thầy lớn của mỹ thuật Việt Nam
- Trần Lưu Hậu - bậc thầy hội họa duy sắc, duy tình
Article about the artist
Tran Luu Hau (1928 - 2020)
TRAN LUU HAU (1928 – 2020)
1928 Born in Ninh Binh, Vietnam
Living in Hanoi, Viet Nam
1949 The Resistance Fine Arts School opened with To Ngoc Van as Director. Studied at this school
1955- 1962 Studied at Surikov Fine Arts Institute, Moscow, the former of Soviet Union.
1962- 1989 Taught at Hanoi University of Fine Arts.
EXHIBITIONS:
1945 Participated in the Vietminh movement in the Hanoi suburb district of Cau Giay
Member of the Civil Defence unit of the Hanoi suburb district of Dong Da
Worked in the information and Propaganda Service located in Vinh Yen.
1953- 1954 Followed the Dien Bien Phu Campaign.
Produced illustrated stories and propaganda posters to encourage civil and military participation in the campaign.
1954- 1955 Participated in the hand-over of authority in Nam Dinh, Son Tay, Hanoi.
Participated in the exhibition to celebrate the liberation of the capital
ART ACTIVITIES AND SOLO EXHIBITION
Field trip in Thu Thi Hamlet, Hung Yen.
Filed trip in Quang Ninh, Hon Gai coal mine. Painted a number of landscapes depicting Ha Long Bay and Dong Nai coal mine.
The Americans escalated bombings in the North of Vietnam. Field trip to collect sketches of fishermen in Cua Nhuong, Nghe An.
Spent three months painting member of the Territorial Army in Nhat Le, Dong Hoi, Quang Binh.
1975 Painted a number of landscapes depicting the Ha Bac countryside and the midlands hillside
1982- 1985 Painted “The Sodiers Return to a Mountainous Hamlet”- Collection of the Army Museum.
Painted “H’Mong Embroiderers”- Collection of the National Fine Arts Museum
Completed a number of landscapes of mountainous region and Ha Long Bay- Collections of the National Fine Arts Museum and Mr. Do Huy Bac.
1983- 1994 Member of Executive Committee of Vietnam Fine Arts.
1985- 1990 Designed stage sets for a number of plays: “Intrigue and Love”, “The Fox and Grapes”, “Leader of My Platoon”…
1991 Painted a number of Vung Tau seascapes.
Solo exhibition in Paris
1992- 1995 Produced some still-lifes paintings and nudes.
Collections of Mr. Tran Hau Tuan, Mrs. Suzanne Lecht and Mr. Toh Hock Ghim
Solo exhibition in Hong Kong
1994 Solo exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City
Paintings of Thay Temples, Ha Tay- Collections of Mr. Ngo Luan, Ms.Ngoc My and Mr. Ha Thuc Can.
“A Clump of Trees”, “The Countryside”- Collection of Michael and Kim Hoa
“Hanoi Acient Streets”, “A Village by Riverside”- Collection of Vinh Loi Gallery
“Bamboo Forest”- Collection of Mr. Michael and Ms. Kim Hoa
“Pathway to the village”- Collection of Mr. Tran Hau Tuan
“Flower Market 1”- Collection of Meritus Westlake hotel
“Horses in Sapa”, “The H’Mong” Collection of La Vong Gallery
“Flower Market 2”- Collection of Mr. Toh Hok Ghim
“Banana Grove” Collection of Mr. Otto and Ms. Lena Rathsman
“Nude” Collection of Ms. Olivia Joseph.
“Still life- bowl with flower on red background” Collection of Tokyo- Mitsubish in Hanoi
Solo exhibition in Dong Son Gallery
Painting trips to Da Lat, Vung Tau and Cat Ba.
“Still- life”: Flowers and Fruits”- Collection of Mr. Frederik Harris
“Purple Flower Bush” The Chase Manhattan Bank Collection
“Tam Dao Scenery” The Chase Manhattan Bank Collection
“Flower on red background”- Collection of Tran Hau Tuan
Solo exhibition in Dong Son Gallery
Going for painting in Tam Dao
“Bamboo Bush (Lang Son)”- The Chase Manhattan Bank Collection
“At the Foot of Tam Dao Hill” – The Chase Manhattan Bank Collection
Principal works: still-lifes with flowers and nudes. Awarded with a State Prize
Principal works: new series of nudes( drawings and paintings)
Traveled to Cat Ba Island and achieved the series of Cat Ba Seascapes.
Other works: Parks and Nudes.
Traveled to Sapa and painted a number of Sapa landscapes.
Other works: a number of Cat Ba seascapes. Exhibition in Ha Noi
Traveled to Sapa and achieved a number of paintings.
Solo exhibition at 29 Hang Bai, Ha Noi.
Other works: Still-lifes and nudes.
Principal works: Hanoi Ancient streets. Traveled to Sapa and painted a number of Sapa. Principal works: Self-portrait
Painted a series of nude sketches and nude paintings. Painted Hanoi trees.
Exhibition of Hanoi trees at Exhibition House 29 Hang Bai Street, Hanoi.
2016: “At the hind sight” exhibition at Green Palm gallery, Hanoi, Vietnam
Group Exhibition in
Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Germany, Czech and Slovakia, Thai Land, Singapore, France, Hong Kong, Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, Hanoi Fine Arts College, Xuan Gallery
AWARDS
Second prize of National Exhibition in 1980
First prize of Graphic Exhibition in 1985
Works preserved in Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, Orient Museum in Poland and Former Soviet Union and in private collections
