(VOVworld) - After 4 years of preparation, the latest artworks of sculptor Thai Nhat Minh were finally showcased at his third solo exhibit titled “Soldier- Soldier’s wife”. The event took place recently at the Viet Nam Fine Arts Museum, 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hanoi.
Born in 1984, Thai Nhat Minh is considered a rising young sculptor. He received an honorable mention at the National Sculpture exhibition in 2013, second prize at the 3rd National Young Art Festival, and an award from the Vietnam Fine Arts Association in 2014. Minh has participated in many exhibits at home and abroad - in Thailand, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
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| Sculptor Thai Nhat Minh (Source: Tuoitrethudo.vn) |
“Soldier – Soldier’s Wife” is his 3rd solo exhibit, after “The Birds” in 2013, and “Breeding season” in 2014. Sculptor Thai Nhat Minh told us: “There are many artworks in this exhibit, which took me 4 years to prepare. I was inspired by stories of soldiers leaving home, and their wives embracing their children, and waiting for their husbands until they turned into stone statues. The stories and images left a profound impression on me. That’s why I decided to hold this exhibit, to express my sympathy and my thoughts about people, separation, sacrifice, and the desires of ordinary people for peace during war time.”
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| The artworks in this exhibit took Nhat Minh 4 years to prepare (Source: Vietnamfineart.com) |
In Vietnam, a country battered by many wars, the separation of soldier’s families has provided a popular motif for the arts. Sculptor Nhat Minh has used stone, aluminum casting, wood, and iron to create sculptural pieces. The installation of numerous small statues and metal fragments around the gallery impresses visitors. Nhat Minh elaborates: “The exhibit is divided into 3 parts. The first part includes 63 white stone statues portraying soldiers’ wives eternally waiting for their husbands. White stone evokes a sense of purity, innocence, and weakness. The second part comprises more than 150 metal sculptures. They are placed on 3.5-4 meter poles to present soldiers fighting for their homeland and their beloved.”
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| White stone statues portray soldiers’ wives eternally waiting for their husbands(Source:Thainhatminh.net) |
Hundreds of white stone and metal sculptures depict the Vietnamese soldiers leaving home for the war, and the faithful wives who wait for them. Minh again: “The last part consists of many small metal fragments, representing the cruel reality of the war. But through the arrangement of the fragments, in the shape of a bird flying freely, I want to spread the message that the desire for peace never ceases in each soldier and soldier’s wife.”
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| Metal sculptures present soldiers fighting for their homeland and their beloved (Source: Thainhatminh.net) |
Noted sculptor Pham Thai Binh, who has collaborated with Nhat Minh on several art projects, spoke with emotion.“I am really moved by Nhat Minh’s exhibit. He proves his undoubted talent through the way he uses different materials to describe human experience in such a creative and soulful way. It is special that visitors can experience the attitude expressed by the author in his works.”
Visitor Manh Linh said: “The exhibit of sculptor Thai Nhat Minh has made a strong impression on me. I now have a deeper appreciation for stories of couples separated by war.”
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| Through the arrangement of the fragments, in the shape of a bird flying freely, Minh wants to spread the message that the desire for peace never ceases in each soldier and soldier’s wife (Source: Vietnamfineart.net) |
Pain, love, hope, and desire are expressively conveyed in Nhat Minh’s sympathetic depiction of soldiers and their wives.