Nguyen Khac Chinh, 1984 | Symbolist / Surrealist painter

With a harmonious combination of colours, both modern and imbued with Eastern culture, the set of paintings entitled "The Life of Mannequins" by artist Nguyen Khac Chinh brought to viewers a unique, interesting perspective on life and humans in a contemporary art space.

Born in 1984 in Hanoi, Vietnam, Nguyen Khac Chinh graduated from the Hanoi University of Fine Arts in 2006, and is a highly skilled artist in oil painting thanks to his participation in group exhibitions since he was a student.

During his years of studying and taking part in art exhibitions of different forms, such as installation, performance, video art, oil painting and lacquer painting, he accumulated a thorough knowledge and experience of art.

His earnestness for working was reflected clearly in his exhibition, "The Life of Mannequins".

The set of paintings showed many individual narratives and the desire and ambition of the artist for creating idiosyncrasy through unique pieces of art.

The paintings were divided into small themes, such as "Seeking A Real Face" and "Chit Chat". However, viewers seemed to perceive a message that the artist wanted to convey in every painting - the loneliness in modern life.

It appears to make humans seem emotionless like mannequins.

Therefore, most of the figures in his paintings have soulless and glacial faces like a mannequin’s which are highlighted by muted colour tones and the traditional Ao dai.

Nguyen Khac Chinh’s paintings fascinate viewers by giving feelings of  surrealism, triggering them to ask if there were times they ever lived and behaved like a mannequin.

Sharing his perception of "The Life of Mannequins", the artist said: "Through the process of learning, work, art exhibitions in various forms and materials such as painting, installation, performance … .. gave me more experience about art and going to explore myself; open to the world of painting my butt wiggle, vast, mysterious but also very intrigued by the beauty, the emotions are sublimated.

I wanted to be exposed to experiences, my soul onto the surface of paintings. Since the true image, landscapes, portrait, the new conception of society, the idea is vague or simply just a feeling …. All of them are filtered through the typical condensed personal observation both inside and outside. With the hope they expressed, manifested in the most personal nuances, the purest".

Exhibitions:

• 2003 Yearly student group exhibitions, Hanoi, Vietnam;
• 2004 Capital exhibition, Hanoi, Vietnam;
• 2006 Yearly student group exhibitions, Hanoi, Vietnam;
• 2007 Arts party "The Pig and an individual vision" on Tet New Year’s Eve , Ha Noi, Vietnam;
• 2007 "Len San" Exhibition, Young Artist Club, Hanoi, Vietnam;
• 2007 "Smelling life" Hanoi, Vietnam;
• 2007 "Drawings on the kites", Hanoi, Vietnam;
• 2008 "New Breath", Hanoi, Vietnam;
• 2008 "Con Chuot - The Mouse" Hanoi, Vietnam;
• 2008 "Tiep Noi - The Continuous" Exhibition, Young Artist Club, Hanoi, Vietnam;
• 2009 "Tien man teen- Ending of the Teen" exhibition with Hanoilink group, Hanoi, Vietnam;
• 2009 "Dong tong – Tone on tone" Exhibition, Young Artist Club, Hanoi, Vietnam;
• 2009 "Chan Dung - Portrait" Exhibition, Young Artist Club, Hanoi, Vietnam;
• 2010 Exhibition Young Artist Club, Hanoi, Vietnam;
• 2010 National Exhibition, Hanoi, Vietnam;
• 2011 ‘Energy’ young artist Vietnam club, Hanoi, Vietnam;
• 2011 Capital Hanoi’Exhibition on October 10, Hanoi Vietnam;
• 2011 "Four Perspectives One Emerging Vision" Exhibition, Singapore;
• 2011 Young Artist Vietnam Festival’ Exhibition, Hanoi, Vietnam.