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Biography

Celebrating the strength of working women, racial equality and freedom to express love are the main themes of Phung Pham's paintings. He is a remarkable Vietnamese master artist at 91 years old (b.1932), who overcame discrimination in his life (Vietnam agricultural revolution in 1954-1956). Phung Pham's art is brave, bold, ahead of his time, and truly unique in the context of Vietnamese art. He deserves to represent contemporary Vietnamese art on the international stage. Phung Pham won numerous 'Prize A' in 1975-1985 Graphic Art Exhibitions in Hanoi, Gold Medal 1990 Nationwide Fine Arts Exhibition in Hanoi (the same year that 'Giong' by Nguyen Tu Nghiem won the First Prize and later became a National Treasure), and Medal for the Cause of Vietnamese Fine Arts. His works are collected internationally.

Beginning in the 1970s, Phung Pham created a series of beautiful woodblock prints. Using only black and white, the prints had elements of simplicity and purity, brought to life by the intertwining melody of lines. These lines created melodies, rhythms, movement, lights, waves, and intricate decorative patterns within the composition, background, and localized sections. The lines shaped the form of the work, while the colors added resonance…

…In Phung Pham’s works, one can see the influence of Fernand Leger, Picasso, modern Western graphics and Japanese woodblock printing, as well as patterns from traditional costumes of minority groups and Dong Son bronze drums. Inspiration was drawn from everywhere and anywhere. Throughout the ages, linear composition and geometric design have always been fundamental in the art of mankind. What is essential in the work of Phung Pham, however, is his personal absorption and distillation of these elements into his own unmistakable style.

The dream of transitioning to lacquer paintings began to take shape in the late 1980s, after the Doi Moi. One of the experiments, a painting entitled, “Fighting against drought” (1990, lacquer on wood, 113 x 133 cm), brought success to the artist, including a gold medal at the Nationwide Fine Arts Exhibition in 1990.

In the lacquer paintings, the existing themes and images in his repertoire are transformed into three-dimensional masses, blocks, cylinders, cones and pyramids. They are more solid, taut, with sharper angles, often depicted in an enlarged, close-up, frontal perspective. Thus, human figures appear rough and monumental, resembling bas-reliefs or sculptures.

Phung Pham’s lacquer paintings are not glossy and smooth like traditional lacquer paintings. He has his own technique, applying layers of color and polishing in order to produce a precisely desired effect. This blending of colors and the interweaving of layers conspire to create a sparkling harmony on the surface, owning to the shining layers of gold or silver beneath….

In his 90s, Phung Pham continued to labor in artistic pursuits, where drawing is tantamount to his very breath, and the joy of his life. His art, from woodblock prints to lacquer paintings, possesses a unique resonance and vitality, as well as a certain strangeness. It spans from East to West, from traditional Vietnamese to the language of the modern world. The stories, themes, and people are drawn either from Vietnamese cultural history, or the universal stories of humanity throughout time. As these themes are conveyed by the artist and depicted on canvas, they are honored in the enduring and timeless beauty of Phung Pham’s art.

1932: Born in Hong Chau commune, Yen Lac district, Vinh Phuc province, Vietnam.

1947: Joined the revolution, and went to the Viet Bac guerrilla zone.

1952 - 1955: Studied at the Central Campus in Nam Ninh, China. Received art lessons from artist Nguyen Khang.

1955 - 1956: Taught supplementary classes in Son Tay.

1957 - 1960: Studied and graduated from the Vietnam College of Fine Arts.

1960 - 1965: Worked at the Cultural Bureau in Hai Duong province.

1965 - 1967: Enrolled in the 9th intake at the Vietnam College of Fine Arts but dropped out after half the course of study.

1973 - 1985: Worked at the Vietnam Animation Studio.

From 1985 to the present: Pursued artistic creation in home-studio.

Honours and Awards

Numerous “Prize A” at the 1975 - 1985 Graphic Art Exhibition in Hanoi

Gold Medal at the 1990 Nationwide Fine Arts Exhibition in Hanoi

Medal for the Cause of Vietnamese Fine Arts

2023: Two lacquer artworks by Phung Pham, “Proud” (1993) and “Love Kisses” (1995) were donated to the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum by Mrs Ellen Berends, a former Dutch diplomat, who served as Dutch Ambassador in various countries; she worked in Vietnam between 1997-2001 and treasured the two artworks by Phung Pham and brought with her around the world for a quarter of a century.

Solo Exhibitions

2003: Solo exhibition at the Exhibition House of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, 16 Ngo Quyen, Hanoi.

2006: Solo exhibition “At the Height of Summer” at Jee Stone Gallery, Hong Kong.

2008: Solo exhibition at 29 Hang Bai Exhibition House, Hanoi.

2010: Solo exhibition at 29 Hang Bai Exhibition House, Hanoi.

2023: Solo exhibition at Thang Long Gallery, 41 Hang Gai, Hanoi.

Group Exhibitions

1972 - 1990: Participated in annual International Graphic Exhibitions in Germany, Romania, Poland, Norway. Took part in various cultural exchange events in the United States, Japan and Republic of Korea, organized by the Vietnam Fine Arts Association.

1985: Participated in the 1975 - 1985 Graphic Art Exhibition in Hanoi. The artwork “Mountain Classroom”, 1983 (woodblock print, 55 x 65 cm) won the A Prize.

1990: Participated in the 1990 Nationwide Fine Arts Exhibition in Hanoi. The artwork “Fighting against Drought”, 1990 (lacquer on wood, 113 x 133 cm) won the Gold Medal.

1999: Participated in the Nationwide Fine Arts Exhibition on the theme of Revolutionary War and the People’s Armed Forces.

2015: Participated in The 4th Ulsan International Woodcut Print Art Festival in the Republic of Korea.

... also participated in numerous other group exhibitions both domestically and internationally.

Press

VietnamNews - Exhibition celebrates life and works of senior artist Phùng Phẩm

VietnamNet - Dutch diplomat donates Vietnamese paintings to national museum

Vietnam.vn - See Phung Pham 'cubism'

TheThao&VanHoa - Họa sĩ Phùng Phẩm - Vẻ đẹp từ những điều nhỏ nhất

L’Officiel Vietnam - Hội họa Phùng Phẩm: Quỹ đạo của những khối hình lập phương

Nguoi Ha Noi - Thưởng lãm “nét hiện đại dung dị” trong tranh sơn mài Phùng Phẩm

Bao Tin Tuc - Họa sỹ Phùng Phẩm: Bền bỉ, kiên cường trong lao động sáng tạo nghệ thuật

Tuoi Tre - Họa sĩ Phùng Phẩm: 'Người nghèo đào vàng' tìm thấy ngọc