From September 13 to October 26, 2025, the Vincom Center for Contemporary Art (VCCA) at Royal City, Hanoi, hosts the “Hoi Co Vong Lai / Retrospective of Vision” exhibition, gathering 100 paintings by three veteran artists representing Vietnam’s fine arts during the Renovation period: Ly Truc Son, Ca Le Thang, and Dao Minh Tri. The exhibition offers the public a chance to reflect on their enduring creative journeys, contributions to establishing modern Vietnamese art, and connections between past and future.
Introduction to the “Hoi Co Vong Lai” Exhibition
The “Hoi Co Vong Lai / Retrospective of Vision” exhibition at VCCA is a special art event, featuring over 100 representative works by three veteran artists: Ly Truc Son, Ca Le Thang, and Dao Minh Tri. These figures shaped Vietnamese fine arts during the Renovation era, each with a unique artistic language yet united by relentless creative aspiration.
The theme “Hoi Co Vong Lai” signifies looking back at the past while aspiring toward the future. Through the exhibition, the public can admire decades-long artistic paths where traditional materials, cultural memories, and personal inspirations blend to create timeless works. It also serves as a tribute to the artists’ steadfast pursuits, opening dialogues between predecessors and young creators, today’s public and tomorrow’s heritage.
- Time: September 13–October 26, 2025, open daily from 10:00 to 21:00.
- Location: VCCA—Vincom Center for Contemporary Art, Basement 1-R3, Vincom Mega Mall Royal City, 72A Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi.
- Ticket: Free entry.
Artists Participating in the “Hoi Co Vong Lai” Exhibition
The “Hoi Co Vong Lai” exhibition connects three unique creative styles from veteran artists: Ly Truc Son, Ca Le Thang, and Dao Minh Tri. Each hails from different regions, carrying distinct cultural memories and materials, yet all converge on a shared point: enduring aspiration for innovation. This convergence creates a diverse yet cohesive space, offering multiple perspectives on Vietnamese fine arts during Renovation and beyond.
Artist Ly Truc Son
Born and raised in Hue, Ly Truc Son has long been tied to traditional lacquer art. For him, native lacquer is not just a medium but a way to preserve time, light, and memory traces. In his works, layered, cracked, blended lacquer creates abstract depth—evoking antiquity while unveiling new meanings. Ly Truc Son has proven that tradition and modernity can fuse, transcending frames to bring Vietnamese lacquer closer to the contemporary world.
Artist Ca Le Thang
Coming from Ben Tre, Ca Le Thang takes the scenery of the river delta as an endless source of inspiration. Fields, rivers, flood seasons, alluvium… are all incorporated into his paintings using a poetic language. In his works, he uses expressive colors and liberal compositions to create paintings that are both lyrical and universal. Ca Le Thang’s paintings are like a country song in color, simple but full of emotion, helping viewers find harmony with nature and life.
Artist Dao Minh Tri
Born in Hanoi but working in Ho Chi Minh City, Dao Minh Tri brings a diverse and symbolic world of art. His works often combine lyrical and surreal elements, with familiar but creative images such as mermaids, nature, and the universe.
Dao Minh Tri uses many materials: from oil paint, lacquer to pigment, harmoniously combining modern geometry with folk decorative patterns. The result is a style that is both intimate and ethereal, as if taking the viewer into a space rich in associations, where memory and imagination intersect.
Space & Display Method of the “Hoi Co Vong Lai” Exhibition
The “Hoi Co Vong Lai” exhibition occupies the vast, modern space of VCCA, maximizing open architecture and natural light to honor the works. The layout is intentional, guiding viewers through an artistic journey across time and styles.
Layout and Design Concept
The three artists’ works are arranged in dedicated zones, independent yet in dialogue. Each area bears a distinct imprint:
- Ly Truc Son’s space emphasizes material depth, with light reflecting on lacquer surfaces for a serene, contemplative feel.
- Ca Le Thang’s area opens expansively with airy layouts and bright colors, evoking southern waterways.
- Dao Minh Tri’s space immerses viewers in surreal symbolism, with interspersed works like dream fragments.
This arrangement not only highlights each artist’s style but fosters overarching connections, like an artistic conversation across past, present, and future.
Highlights in Visual Experience
One of the highlights of the exhibition is the combination of light and open space. The lighting system is delicately designed, emphasizing each work to highlight the materials, colors and lines. Viewers can clearly feel the difference: the sparkling light on the lacquer background, the freshness of tropical colors, or the mystery in the surreal images.
In addition, the open space arrangement and adequate distance between the works also allows viewers to fully admire each painting without being distracted.
Interaction and Viewer Perception
Visitors are encouraged to approach works from various angles, experiencing shifts in light, tone, and detail. For Ly Truc Son’s lacquer, each movement reveals new layers.
The exhibition evokes emotional interaction, as viewers project personal memories onto Ca Le Thang’s landscapes or find soul resonance in Dao Minh Tri’s surrealism. Thus, the experience transcends visual enjoyment to become a silent dialogue between artist and audience.
“Hoi Co Vong Lai” converges three creative streams in one space for dialogue. It reminds us of cultural identity’s value and continuity in Vietnamese fine arts. If you love painting, don’t miss this chance to witness diversity in art and the souls of three great artists. Visit VCCA to enter a space where memories link to aspirations.
