Artist Pham Ha Hai: Seeking the Contemporary in Mythical History

Participating in the Domino Art Fair, the largest unique commercial art fair ever, Pham Ha Hai brought the "Mother Au Co" series of paintings. A hundred round eggs, nurtured and protected by a hundred soft nests, evoke an interesting association with the image of the Rooster of the coconut tree, which has been persistently pursuing abstract art for many years.

According to conventional thinking, the rooster would be the main theme throughout an art fair welcoming the Year of the Rooster. That's also the choice many of his colleagues have made. So where did the idea originate from the legend of "a hundred wrapped eggs," about the Dragon Father, the Fairy Mother, and their children splitting and heading into the sea and up the mountains, an idea that every Vietnamese person knows by heart?

To welcome a new spring, everyone looks forward to it, waiting, and hoping for new opportunities in the Year of the Rooster. Artists often choose to express the spirit of the Rooster through various vivid and colorful rooster figures, highlighting their strength, valor, and optimism that represent the spirit of regeneration and renewal.

As an abstract artist, I often choose to think in an associative manner. In the Dong Ho folk paintings, I really appreciate the "rooster" painting. Admiring the beauty of the motherly love in the image of the mother hen and her chicks, I thought of the legend of "a hundred wrapped eggs." The series of paintings "Mother Au Co," consisting of 100 individual paintings (each 30x25cm) was born out of this idea. Mother-child love and filial piety form the foundation for the egg and nest imagery, representing the crystallization of the bond between two generations, passed down from parents to their beloved children. This artwork serves as a message of happiness and is my way of expressing gratitude, sharing, and the beauty of traditional heritage handed down through generations.

Hai has shared, "Seeking beauty in the spirit of preserved cultural heritage is an endless journey." Does the "Mother Goose" series also lie on that tireless journey?
I believe that every Vietnamese person is born inheriting, sympathizing with, and nourishing themselves from the deep roots of Vietnamese culture. We feel the transmission of this heritage through various avenues: from a mother's lullabies on a swaying hammock to folk tunes rich in regional character. From fairy tales, myths, and legends that are familiar and intimate to the wealth of folk sayings and idioms, rich in melody and imagery. These traditional values are always present in the spiritual life of every individual, intact in our hearts and minds, even if we don't always recognize them. They never leave us, and we can never be separated from them. Until a certain moment, they remind us to slow down, encourage us to return to our roots, and make us suddenly cherish the sparkling luster of traditional values.

In every person, from the moment of birth, there is a profound sense of gratitude to the parents. Mother Au Co is a concept. Wrapping a hundred eggs is an abstract image. The egg and nest represent an intertwined relationship. Above all, these images carry the distinct mark of Vietnamese culture, of unique anthropological, social, and historical characteristics. Understanding these specifics is the only way to explain why eggs are produced (instead of giving birth to children), why the number 100 is chosen (instead of any other number), why the children are split and sent to the mountains and the sea.... After learning and receiving so much through the various paths mentioned above, these past sources have silently soaked into me, until one day they blossomed, resulting in the idea for this series of paintings.

Known as an artist engaged in diverse forms of art, from painting, graphics, to performance and installation, and having achieved some initial success since 1997, why did Hai choose the path of abstract art, which is often difficult for the public to understand and appreciate, and therefore challenging to gain recognition and market demand?
I conducted serious research and wrote the first dissertation in Vietnam on installation art back in 1997. I then worked with many groups of young artists and foreign artists, finding the art forms of performance and installation to be quite fascinating. In my first solo exhibition titled "Land and Human" at Salon Natasha in 1998, I combined various art forms that I liked, from combining sculptures with installation to expressive painting.

I adopted abstract art very early, and my work was already selling since 1994. I have been loyal to abstraction ever since. Perhaps, from that time, I realized I didn't like classical focal points. I liked departing from the classical style, seeking alternative focal points (such as multiple focal points, distributed focal points on the surface, moving away from focal points, or extending focal points beyond the edges of the painting). Choosing such a rugged path, as you mentioned, I knew I wouldn't easily gain the acclaim of the masses, wouldn't become famous, and wouldn't easily sell paintings. But I have always believed that when an artist raises their voice, the sound resonates in space and somewhere, there will surely be reception and feedback. Each work created by an artist will find someone who understands, empathizes, and appreciates it. With every brushstroke, color, and shape on the canvas, true emotions come from the heart.

As a creator actively engaged in research and promoting the arts, I understand very well all the paths and effective methods to reach the masses. I remember that an art collector once made a joyful summary, saying that to easily access the market, my paintings had to have conical hats, traditional Vietnamese dresses (áo dài), buffaloes, birds, and tranquil, serene landscapes. These themes and subject matter closely aligned with the common approach of the general public, satisfying their spiritual needs during the mid-90s. However, at the present time, these are no longer appropriate. In my personal view, that method of creating art doesn't contribute much to the development of the art scene; it even leads to misconceptions about the state of the country's art scene. Art should not be about chasing and catering to the mass's preferences. Art is about bringing the true audience closer and helping them access valuable works of art that can satisfy an artist's internal creative drive while also glorifying Vietnamese art. Someone once said, "Go to the end of yourself, and you will meet humanity." Or in the words of the late artist Nguyen Tu Nghiem, "Seeking tradition, you will find the modern." I choose to seek in history to meet the contemporary, even though it's not easy. The "Mother Au Co" series is a concrete example.

Thank you, Hai, for this insightful and open conversation!

Author: Bao Ngọc

Source: Newspaper Nhan Dan