HIGHLAND LIFE UNDER THE ARTISTIC LENS OF NGUYEN MANH CUONG

The Northern mountainous region has been a familiar subject in many Vietnamese paintings. For Nguyen Manh Cuong, a young artist born in 1983, finding his own path while remaining faithful to the subject was challenging. With creative perseverance and a youthful artistic eye, Nguyen Manh Cuong has successfully conveyed a novel perspective without ever leaving the reality of colorful life in the highland provinces.

Compared to many works with the same theme, Nguyen Manh Cuong’s paintings focus more on human vitality than the richness of the landscape. Life in the highlands has never been easy. As one of the areas with harsh weather and many difficulties in moving, people always have to find ways to have enough food and clothing every day. The ground is cracked, and it is difficult to grow crops; the roofs are shabby, and many children do not have enough clothes to wear. However, they did not falter in the face of natural and economic disadvantages.

Not letting this beauty slip away, Nguyen Manh Cuong skillfully expressed the perseverance and strong vitality of the mountain people through his oil paintings. No matter the situation, whether the elderly or children, vitality appears sparkling like sparkling gems inlaid in the scene.

 

Nguyen Manh Cuong suddenly became a potential name in the Vietnamese painting world when he was able to convey this precious beauty through his canvas and brush strokes. Without using too bright colors when his works are mainly in cold and warm tones, the young artist still successfully brings the light of hope and life into his works.

Leaving behind a clear answer, Nguyen Manh Cuong hopes that each viewer can find the persistence and story behind his works. Not as dogmatic as a poster about the difficulties of life, he opens contemplative spaces for the audience to fill in the blanks themselves, thereby gaining more respect and admiration for small, ordinary people.

Besides telling stories about the daily lives of highland people, Nguyen Manh Cuong also integrates love for ethnic minorities – the owners of the mountains and forests. The subject in the painting appears with the traditional clothes of each ethnic group, with large stirrups or clothes with typical patterns.

Participating in many projects in fields such as painting, design, and sculpture, Nguyen Manh Cuong proves himself to be a talented name in Vietnamese art. Art lovers can look forward to more visual feasts and profound stories in the works of this young artist.