One from the new series of artworks by Phan Hai Bang

At the exhibition viewers seem to get lost in a novel creative story of the man who invented truc chi(bamboo fiber) in Vietnam. Lotuses are depicted in a symbolic way with unique colors and materials. Flowers,lich bong da vn leaves, calyxes, stalks, seeds are described in disorder by the artist from College of Art, Hue University.

Observing closely his works, viewers can see that the lotus seeds in the dry calyxes are depicted thoroughly. They symbolize fertility. The hollow holes in the dry calyxes look like black eye sockets symbolizing death. 

"A health problem that happened many years ago changed my perspective about the lotus," confided Phan Hai Bang. That also gave him ideas for his most recent works. 

“Confluence with Lotuses on Paper” is based on the lotus and his personal experiences in life about the transformation in shape to become an original living entity.

“Confluence with Lotuses: Protecting” from his most recent series on display by Phan Hai Bang

“Confluence with Lotuses” has been his theme for a long time done with various materials and techniques such as painting, graphics, media and truc chi. But this time, Bang returns to paper, but with a completely new message. Most of the paintings are in watercolor or ink with markers on dướngpaper in addition to some of truc chias the end of his experiment with paper made from different kinds of fiber which are characterized by their blurring of color and ink.

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Painter Nguyen Nghia Phuong from Vietnam University of Fine Arts, Phan Hai Bang used dópaper and watercolor rather early with his own exhibition “Vong” in 1997. It was his beginning of artworks made on and of paper.

With this exhibition, Phan Hai Bang shows the diversity of line and color, returning to the most basic function of paper as background. That is his restart for his next journey of reaffirming the first and foremost function of paper as background, and for his returning to the Vietnamese traditional paper.

On the other hand, that is also the premise for his continuity with other functions of paper represented by truc chias it is and as an independent art. 

From the perspective of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trang Thanh Hien, the works on display this time by Phan Hai Bang reveal his own world in which he hides himself with dópaper, truc chi, and his notions of a fragile life filled with reality, unreality and life-saving art. 

“Phan Hai Bang is not only well known as the one who invented the special truc chi,” repeats and reaffirms Hien. Through this exhibition, one can see another creator with dướngpaper and water ink with its blurring.

With "Confluence with Lotuses on Paper,” Bang more or less brings viewers another perspective and another world filled with feelings about life and human destiny.

 Story and photos: NHAT MINH