Nguyen Art Gallery – Touching the Beauty of the Tangible

Nguyen Art Gallery presents an exhibition of lacquer paintings depicting Hanoi — the Temple of Literature, street corners, heritage sites, and urban memories.

Lacquer, one of the most distinctive materials in Vietnamese fine art, is chosen for its unparalleled depth and timeless beauty. Unlike other mediums, lacquer painting demands patience, precision, and time — as each layer of resin, gold, silver, and eggshell is applied, then polished by hand to reveal a luminous inner world. This slow and meditative process mirrors the rhythm of Hanoi itself — a city that carries a thousand years of history within its every street, roof tile, and moss-covered wall.

In sơn mài paintings, each layer of lacquer embodies a layer of time, and every line reflects a distillation of essence. Through this exhibition, 13 artists present 20 unique works, each offering a different perspective on Hanoi — not just as a place, but as a living memory.

These works invite viewers to see beyond surface beauty — to feel the cultural depth, the endurance of memory, and the quiet pride of Vietnamese identity.