Pham Ha Hai: Release the image, capture the essence

For over a decade, with more than a dozen solo and group exhibitions, and most recently, winning the Silver Award at the National Fine Arts Exhibition, Pham Ha Hai (born in 1974 in Hanoi, holding a Master's degree in Fine Arts) is recognized as an abstract painter with many distinctive marks.

Early on, he chose the theme of the nature of the Orient, and Pham Ha Hai is also known for his rare dedication: relentlessly pursuing this spirit with hundreds of works depicting lotus, wilderness, wind, mudflats...

"Morning Dew" by Pham Ha Hai.

Pham Ha Hai is easily noticeable for his sweet color palette and technical prowess. However, in his artworks, he seems to want to discreetly conceal these strengths. Colors and shapes are not exuberantly bursting forth but remain calm, evoking a sense of quietness.

"What's currently in trend, I let go," he says. This confession isn't something everyone dares to declare when the overuse of social issues or the exaggeration through distortion and manipulation is captivating many colleagues.

The artwork "Red Lotus" by Pham Ha Hai.

Pham Ha Hai's paintings are becoming more minimalist, with subdued colors. He has abandoned the path of exuberance and bold impressions. Instead, he presents a system of signals, guiding viewers into a serene realm close to meditation. In a nutshell, it's about letting go of the form and capturing the essence.

Pham Ha Hai's most recent artworks clearly show his desire to go beyond the usual landscape representation, with the depicted objects dissolving into the two-dimensional surface. Viewers can distinctly sense that each painting is a tranquil, delicate, and spiritually Eastern realm.

Artist Pham Ha Hai

Pham Ha Hai contemplates and practices extensively with form and shadow. With just a hint of red, viewers are instantly transported to a radiant rice field by the temple, where they may not see lotus flowers or lotus leaves on the surface, but the fragrance of lotus is in the air, the colors of lotus are evoked, and the visual presence is undeniable.

He perseveres in ensuring that each painting lingers in the viewer's mind like a melody that one occasionally hums after hearing a beautiful piece of music. The spirit and essence of the East, perhaps, lie herein...

Author: Khoi Nguyen

Source: Newspaper The Thao Van Hoa