Artisan–Painter Nguyễn Tấn Phát was born into a family with a strong tradition and passion for the fine arts, which nurtured in him an early love for painting. He worked at well-known handicraft shops in Hanoi’s Old Quarter to hone his craftsmanship. Not stopping there, he sought out the Hạ Thái craft village (Thường Tín District, Hanoi) to learn directly from veteran artisans, accumulating valuable practical knowledge and experience. To date, he has devoted more than 21 years to the art of lacquer.

Nguyễn Tấn Phát does not merely paint what the eye sees, but what his soul feels. For this reason, his works—especially his portraits—carry profound inner depth, creating a haunting and powerful emotional resonance for viewers. Within each line and layer of lacquer, one can sense the richness of lived experience, intense emotion, and philosophical reflections on humanity and life.

“Lacquer is one of the most authentically Vietnamese painting materials. It represents the exploration and development of traditional lacquer craft techniques (natural lacquer) into the art of lacquer painting. Beyond the lacquer layers on the surface, lacquer art also requires special adhesive compounds passed down through generations. Because of my love for this pure Vietnamese essence, I often incorporate characteristic materials such as eggshell, coconut shell, laterite stone, jackfruit wood, and more as distinctive elements in my works. The more carefully selected the materials and the more meticulous the creative process, the greater the value of the finished piece. In addition, I weave stories of Vietnamese culture into my works, so that each piece is not merely a product of aesthetic refinement, but also carries the spirit and soul of Vietnam.”

Year of Birth: 1983

Place of Birth: Northern Vietnam

Education: Graduated from University of Industrial Fine Arts

Membership:

In addition, he used to be an Art teacher and worked at the Central Office of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association. He specializes in painting with lacquer and using traditional lacquer called Son ta. His artworks have been collected by the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, the Vietnam Military History Museum, Da Nang Fine Arts Museum as well as a lot of individual collectors all over the world.

Most of his Vietnamese artworks with the theme of lotus are painted directly by artist Do Khai at Gia Lam lotus pond. His lacquer paintings of lotus are varied and illusory. His lotus is mainly white, pink, blue, and gray – White for lotus flowers, Green for lotus leaves, and Gray for dying leaves. At first glance, viewers think that the artist uses few colors, but when looking closely, each painting is a “symphony” of colors.

Year of Birth: 1969

Place of Birth: Northern Vietnam

Education: Graduated from Vietnam University of Fine Arts (2000)

Membership: Member of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association & Board of Directors of the Son Ta Club