CHÓE’
PAINTINGS
Choe was an internationally acclaimed cartoonist; an
artist who painted and sold multiple types of artwork: oil on canvas, silk
painting, water color on rice-paper… He was also a writer, poet and composer.
I first met Choe in late 1970 at the Bao Den News
office, Saigon. At that time, he was just drawing cartoons for a few newspapers
in Saigon. Only a few years later, he became a world famous cartoonist.
Tu Do Gallery opened in June 24th, 1989. We
purchased 20 artworks from Choe in July. That was the very first collection of
our art gallery.
Choe’s silk paintings was very different from those by
other Southern artists, most of whom attended the Gia Dinh Art Institute. They
followed closely the traditional Le Van De style: fair and dreamy. As a self-taught
artist coming from a cartoon background, Choe’s style was, on the other hand, a
combination of bold, gutsy strokes and lavish colors. Many pointed out that
Choe’s silk paintings weren’t correct according to traditional Vietnamese
style. Choe agreed with this assessment. He invented his own style. His silk
paintings quickly became “best seller” at Tu Do Gallery. He followed up with
water color on rice-paper, again in his unrestrained style. They too became
sought after by collectors.
One of Choe’s first oil on canvas paintings was “Highland Scenery” finished in 1965.
This was a gift to his lover, who would later become his lifelong wife. His
very first painting after returning from concentration camp in 1985 was a “Portrait” of her.
CHÓE_Mrs.Loan'sPortrait-65x50cm-1985
In 1989, he brought “A Hen and Ducklings” to Tu Do Gallery. It was one of Choe’s
signature works with his usual gusto. Since then, his works have been a regular
favorite of visitors to the art gallery.
CHÓE_A HEN
AND DUCKLINGS_1989
He continued with several national and international exhibitions.
Several of his later works were themed collection, such as:
-
South Vietnamese Artists and
Writers: 37
portraits and cartoons. Exhibited at Katrineholm, Sweeden in 1989; exhibited at
the National Press Club in 1990, and at the Capitol Hill in 1992 in Washington
DC, USA.
(Currently in collection of Mr. and Mrs. Le Ha Vinh, USA).
-
US Presidents: 41 oil on canvas paintings.
(Currently in the collection of Ms. Nancy Pham, USA).
-
Women of my Country: 10 cartoons, water color on
paper. He painted this collection for “Asian Cartoons” a joint exhibition in
Japan, 1995. Ten artists from the ten different Asian countries were invited to
attend the exhibition. (Currently in the collection of Choe’s family).
-
Vietnam Personage: 57 oil on canvas paintings
50cm x 65cm, exhibited in 1995, HCMC., Vietnam. (Currently in collection of Mr.
Han Duc Minh, HCMC., Vietnam).
-
Ho Xuan Huong Poems: 27 oil on canvas paintings
77cm x 77cm, exhibited in 1996, HCMC., Vietnam. (Currently in collection of
Mrs. Phan Thi Thu Mai, HCMC., Vietnam).
-
Nobel Laureate Women: 40 oil on canvas paintings
70cm x 85cm, exhibited in 1996, HCMC., Vietnam. (Currently in the collection of
Mrs. Phan Thi Thu Mai, HCMC., Vietnam).
-
Vision d’Été 1998: 20 oil on canvas paintings.
Finished in 1998, when Choe was in France for his illness. Exhibited in the
City Hall of Savigny Le Temple, France. (Currently in the collection of Choe’s
family).
-
Portraits of Various Artists: 28 oil on canvas, painted in
2000 and 2001. These were his last works. The collection was exhibited in 2006
at Tu Do Gallery, HCM city, Vietnam. In this exhibition, there were two
additional paintings from his earlier years, one oil on canvas painting (Tran
Tien, 1993) and one silk painting (Bao Yen, 1990). The collection is currently
held by the art gallery.
In
this exhibition “CHOE ARTWORKS”, we
are pleased to introduce the two collection “Women of my Country” and “Vision
d’Été 1998”, which have been held by the artist’s family. Thought these
collections have been exhibited outside the country, this was the first time
they are presented to the Vietnamese public. In addition, we will also showcase dozens of Choe’s paintings
in the collection of Tu Do Gallery.
Son Hai Dang
Tu Do Gallery
April 2013.
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