“BLOOMING LIGHT, SOAKING LIGHT” – Masterpieces from the Netherlands
26/05 – 11/06/2023
Vietnam Fine Arts Museum
66 Nguyễn Thái Học, Điện Biên, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Netherlands – Vietnam diplomatic relations, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Hanoi and Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum co-organise the exhibition “Blooming Light, Soaking Light” – introducing the masterpieces of Dutch artists from the Golden Age to the end of the 19th century. The works presented are curated by art researcher Đỗ Tường Linh from the collection of Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands.
Inspired by the poem “We Silver Beings, Misty Light, Plants Growing” by the famous Dutch poet Herman Gorter, the exhibition “Blooming Light, Soaking Light” explores and rediscovers different notions of “lights” through the works of art by Dutch master painters. The exhibition explores “lights” from the symbolic, metaphorical, as well as technical perspective. Examining nearly 70 pieces under 5 main themes: Landscape, Still life, Portrait, Genre Art and Spiritual Realm, Blooming Light, Soaking Light recreates and interprets factors of lights in Dutch art history and reveals how they reflect the changes in the human perception of reality and the metaphysical world.
The exhibition is also an opportunity for the public to enjoy classic works from the Dutch Golden Age – a historic period of time from the end of the 16th century to the 17th century, during which trade, science and arts of the Netherlands became the standard for the world. From Cornelis van Haarlem and Frans Hals, who are the masters of portraiture in all of Europe, to female painters, the likes of Judith Leyster, Marie Wandscheer with their unique still lifes, to the figures that brought Dutch art around the world via trade routes such as Rembrandt van Rjin and Johannes Vermeer. Employing a hybrid format, with the combination of silk fine printing and digital projection, the Exhibition will bring audiences an opportunity to better understand the Dutch cultural identities, lifestyle and beliefs.
Speaking at the opening, Ambassador Kees van Baar shared: “The works you will see here in this Exhibition are some of the best of what Dutch fine arts has to offer. And I am very happy that you will get to experience this unique hybrid exhibition for yourselves tonight. Art has the ability to connect us and bring us together. And that is exactly what the celebration of 50 years of bilateral relations between Viet Nam and the Netherlands this year is all about.”
The exhibition’s curator shared: “The Dutch masters did not simply portray and represent their own realities, but also embody philosophy, contemplation and a witty spirit throughout their works. And what’s even more special is that they use their masterful technique of recreating light and darkness to tell these stories.”
The exhibition “Blooming Light, Soaking Light” is open from 18:00 on 26 May 2023 until 11 June 2023 at 1F, B Building, Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, No. 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Ba Dinh, Hanoi.
During the exhibition, the Netherlands Embassy and the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum collaborate to host music performances of Dutch classical composers and an Art Talk to offer the audience a fulfilling artistic experience.
Organized by Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Hanoi, Rijksmuseum
Realized by ddur.production
Curated by Đỗ Tường Linh
Production: Nguyễn Tú Hằng, Trần Thảo Miên, Nguyễn Bích Đào, Cao Yến Nhi
