Paintings by Pham Ha Hai and his journeys afar

Pham Ha Hai is a name that has firmly established itself in the contemporary art scene in Vietnam and can be categorized as one of the young, early-acclaimed artists. Pham Ha Hai was born in 1974 in Hanoi, into a prominent family where most members are connected to the world of fine arts. He is also an artist whose works have been featured in various galleries and art fairs around the world.

Our conversation with Pham Ha Hai revolves around the question of how Vietnamese art can enter reputable global dialogues. What requirements does it demand? The discussion made me realize two seemingly straightforward but challenging issues: firstly, the quality of the artwork, and secondly, the means of introducing artwork to the world.

Artworks by Vietnamese artists have been auctioned for hundreds of thousands of USD, and some pieces have found their place in prominent art collections worldwide. What's surprising is that this recognition dates back to the 1930s. Perhaps, apart from painting, no other form of Vietnamese art in various domains has been acknowledged with such high value. It's the paintings created by the generation of artists from Indochina (which includes artists trained at the Indochina School of Fine Arts) during the French colonial period. They had to be genuinely talented to be part of this esteemed circle, and their works were taken to Paris for exhibitions. The selection of these paintings was done by French experts.

Now, almost a century has passed, and many of these artworks are still being auctioned. Their value consistently rises year by year and decade by decade.

But that was back in the 1930s. After that golden generation, it cannot be said that Vietnamese painting lacks talented artists, but it is evident that the path for Vietnamese art to reach the world has become significantly more challenging. And at the present time, as artist Pham Ha Hai points out, the endeavor to bring paintings to the world is solely the responsibility of the artists themselves. This means that, in addition to striving to create outstanding works that can catch the attention of investors and art critics worldwide, the artists also have to make efforts to export their artistic offspring.

The painting "Meditation in Brown" (top left) by Pham Ha Hai in the "Viet Art Now 2019" exhibition at the Chon Auction House in Hanoi, December 2019.

So, how does this path look?

According to artist Pham Ha Hai, his first painting to appear abroad was at the Art Fair in Singapore in 2001, through a gallery in Hanoi. They took his paintings for exhibition in Singapore. Perhaps even Pham Ha Hai couldn't have envisioned the journey his paintings would embark on at that time. The journey of a painting by an artist without any established reputation in the realm of art collectors regionally or globally depends solely on the artistic value of that painting. People won't spend money and effort to acquire a mediocre artwork. From that first painting, art collectors and investors started to seek out Pham Ha Hai, and more paintings made their way across borders. After that initial step almost 20 years ago, it seems that Pham Ha Hai has ventured far and fast, encountering favorable conditions. His paintings have appeared in Japan, France, Australia, the United States, Poland, and major art centers across various nations and continents.

Pham Ha Hai has a strong appreciation for art fairs. He mentioned, for instance, that art fairs in the United States typically attract around 40,000 visitors per event. Renting a space for displaying artworks there can cost thousands of dollars. But having the money doesn't guarantee the opportunity to showcase your art; instead, your paintings need to be represented and vouched for by reputable galleries. He also expresses the hope that Vietnam can organize art fairs, starting with providing art lovers in the country the chance to appreciate and select artworks. This could then extend to regular art activities, expanding and inviting neighboring nations, the region, and Asia, which is when the art scene can truly come alive.

In the quest to find and establish a position on major art platforms, I believe that every artist must present something distinctive to the international art community. Paintings by Vietnamese artists should contain elements that set them apart from those originating in the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and so on. Pham Ha Hai seems to be heading in the right direction by consistently choosing themes related to the traditional culture of his nation. He expresses, "An artist will find purpose in reflecting a part of their nation's culture. It is always a challenge, but the psyche, spirit, and the Eastern worldview are true legacies. This heritage still lives within each of us, and artists take pride in expressing and introducing these values to the world."

I feel that for artists, the choice of materials and subjects is always crucial. I've known many artists who have experimented and succeeded with different materials and techniques, each bearing their distinct personal touch. For Pham Ha Hai, he employs a technique he named "Acrylic Polishing on Toan." This term came about when he noticed the beauty of ceramics hidden beneath the layers of time and was eager to express it. He used acrylic but desired the energy of oil paint. Given the weather conditions and humidity in Vietnam, oil paintings can quickly deteriorate. He explained that to achieve the strength of acrylic colors comparable to oil paints, he had to layer them numerous times. However, excessive layering would result in a thicker surface, potentially compromising the subtlety of the painting. Thus, under his first layer, there is silver coating, followed by acrylic and then the polishing stage. This process is vital to achieving the "energy" he aspires to in his art.

The paintings "Season Diary #01, #02" (created in 2019) and #03 (created in 2020), acrylic on canvas, measuring 120 cm in height and 40 cm in width

One can imagine the technique of acrylic polishing to be akin to traditional lacquer work, with the distinction being that he polishes acrylic instead of lacquer. Pham Ha Hai has specialized in lacquer painting at the university and spent many years working directly in the field of lacquer. The acrylic polishing technique satisfies his creative spirit in portraying artworks that he might not achieve using acrylic alone.

I'm deeply impressed by Pham Ha Hai's thought process when it comes to the concept of "artistic style." In my view, for both visual arts and literature, or art in general, repetition is often associated with the notion of style. To have a style, there must invariably be elements of repetition. However, repetition alone does not necessarily establish a style. Pham Ha Hai's perspective is that, when talking about style, he prefers to use the term "recognition." For instance, consider luxury brands and high-end products worldwide. Consistency is crucial there, and these brands consistently reflect the values and philosophy that they have established. Consumers understand the philosophy, ideology, and achievements that a particular brand has set forth. Products encapsulate the culmination of investments in terms of materials, craftsmanship, design outcomes, and they always undergo research, experimentation, and production trials to validate and advertise these values. Everything that consumers know about the product is through the branding and identity established. In the art world, artists need to form and promote their artistic identity and brand, similar to how luxury brands do.

Therefore, regarding the artistic style of an independent artist, they need to have a philosophy they adhere to, and their personal creative identity must be sufficiently established to form a complete style. To maintain the continuity after acquiring a style (to avoid monotony and self-destruction), artists must be consciously engaged in research, practicality, and seek out new expressions while refining them, treating it as an "artistic technology" which in the realm of artistic creation primarily equates to more extensive, profound, and fresh insights into the human soul. This is the challenge of "renewing oneself."

Art, in particular, and art in general, is something "given by the heavens." It's akin to a person digging a well. Some may dig throughout their entire lives and never strike groundwater, while others may strike a gushing spring soon after they start. However, perhaps it's time for the narrative to evolve beyond the adage "Good wine needs no bush." Even though it's a gift, it requires artists to present their works in various ways. By doing so, artists provide their artwork with a different life, a life in which an individual artwork can bear the name of a nation.