The exhibition, which opened on October 3, features different themes corresponding to three stages in the artists' careers, from their time in Indochina to their experiences in France and their artistic development there.

Artists Mai Thu (1906-1980), Le Pho (1907-2001), and Vu Cao Dam (1908-2000) are regarded as pioneers of modern arts in Vietnam. Graduating from the École des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine (Indochina School of Fine Arts), the artists decided to develop their careers in France and set up families there, thus they possessed a love for the homeland and a deep connection to the European country. This is reflected in their paintings, which embody both traditional Vietnamese artistic sensibilities and concepts from contemporary Western arts learned at the Indochina School of Fine Arts.

Anne Fort, manager of Vietnamese art heritage, said that despite the fact that the artworks of these artists are very famous in the international art market, the public are still not very familiar with these masterpieces. The exhibition is an opportunity to introduce the life, careers, and styles of these artists to art lovers in France, she noted.

Nguyen Thi Mai, a Vietnamese expatriate in France, said the exhibition brought back her childhood memories, and she expressed her honour of enjoying two wonderful cultures. Mai found in the artworks a poetic beauty and richness of colour, alongside a delicacy that sometimes distinguishes them from Western artists’ works.

The exhibition, entitled “Pioneers of modern Vietnamese arts in France", will run until March 9, 2025./.VNA