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Nguyen Lam (1941 - 2025)

Master of Abstraction

Nguyen Lam was one of Vietnam’s most influential painters, a master of both oil and lacquer who helped shape the course of modern Vietnamese art. Over six decades of creation, he produced more than 1,200 works, now housed in the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum, the Singapore Art Museum, and in important private collections across Asia, Europe, and America.

Early Life and Education
Born Lam Huynh Long in 1941 in Can Tho, Nguyen Lam discovered art at an early age. Fascinated by painted cinema posters of Hollywood actors, he would arrive at the theatre early to study the brushstrokes through the iron gate. At fifteen, he entered a children’s art competition and won both first and third prizes, creating a stir in Can Tho and confirming his artistic path.

He studied at the Gia Dinh School of Decorative Arts (1956–1959), later transferring to the Saigon College of Fine Arts, from which he graduated in 1965. Even as a student, he was already exhibiting, selling paintings, and winning awards, including the Silver Medal at the Saigon Spring Exhibition (1962). He was twice selected to represent Vietnam at the prestigious Paris Biennale (1961 and 1963), a rare honor at the time.

Rise to Prominence

During the 1960s and early 1970s, Nguyen Lam quickly established himself as a leading voice in South Vietnam’s art scene. He was a founding member of the Young Artists Association (1966) and held seven solo exhibitions between 1963 and 1972 in Saigon and Kuala Lumpur. He also exhibited internationally in New Delhi (1967) and New York (1968), positioning Vietnamese art within global conversations. Alongside his practice, he taught at the Vietnam–America Association and the Gia Dinh School of Decorative Arts, influencing a new generation of painters.

Master of Abstraction

Throughout his career, Nguyen Lam journeyed through realism, impressionism, and expressionism, but ultimately it was abstraction that defined him. His brushwork carried the fluidity of calligraphy, while his colors evoked both harmony and contemplation. While Nguyen Lam would later be celebrated for lacquer, his oil paintings were equally groundbreaking. These works, often large in scale, revealed sweeping brushstrokes and a sense of movement that critics likened to both music and calligraphy. Unlike the traditional figurative oils of his contemporaries, Lam’s canvases pulsed with rhythm and spontaneity. His palette ranged from bold contrasts of red, black, and white to softer harmonies of blue and ochre. Many works conveyed a sense of spiritual vastness, an open space where gesture, color, and emotion fused. His oil paintings placed him among Vietnam’s most forward-thinking modernists, proving that abstraction could carry a distinctly Vietnamese voice. Today, these works are considered milestones in the evolution of Southeast Asian abstraction.

Legacy and Family

Humble despite his stature, Nguyen Lam once remarked: “I feel I have only walked one path. My children and younger colleagues have gone further, more innovatively.” Indeed, his family became one of the most extraordinary artistic lineages in Vietnam: six of his nine children became painters, several of them now prominent figures in contemporary art. Over more than 60 years, Nguyen Lam left an indelible mark on Vietnamese painting. He bridged tradition and modernity, nurtured younger artists, and brought Vietnamese abstraction to the world stage.

Passing

Nguyen Lam passed away peacefully at his home in Ho Chi Minh City on June 28, 2025, at the age of 84. His passing marked the loss of a pioneer, but his art, radiant with light, color, and spiritual depth,  continues to inspire artists, collectors, and admirers around the world.

Discover Nguyen Lam’s painting at the National Gallery Singapore

Articles on Nguyen Lam

Originally published in Vietnamese newspapers, magazines, and online platforms. These articles have been translated into English and are available here as PDFs.

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