Lot 14: HONG VIET DUNG (b. Vietnam 1962)

Ha Long Bay
signed (lower left)
oil on canvas
53 x 60 7/8 in. (134.8 x 154.7 cm.)
A certificate of authenticity from Arch Angel Art, dated November 2005, accompanies this painting.

Hong Viet Dung paints for the viewer to experience his work. It is said that his works are reflective of the artist's introspective nature. In the present work Ha Long Bay, the subject matter does more than remind the viewer of the Vietnamese national treasure which has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage site and is a leading tourist destination. It emanates a quiet charm immediately apparent to the viewer, an irony considering the legendary origins of the bay. According to local tradition, 'Ha Long' is translated literally as the 'Bay of descending Dragons'. In an attempt to save the Vietnamese people from a foreign invasion, these dragons spewed pearls which formed the scattered limestone structures of today, preventing the invaders from approaching. The thrashing chaos that made this story is where the artist has painted peace and tranquility, thinly veiled in a shade of grey, almost like a protective slip from any disorder. Hong Viet Dung's compositions are not complicated, with this simplicity extracting and emoting the very essence of the work to the viewer.