LOT 35
BUI HUU HUNG
B. Vietnam, 1957
Mandarin Daughter, 2001
Lacquer on wood
122 x 121 cm
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
Signed on lower left and stamped with artist’s seal on lower right
RM 40,000 – 70,000
Bui Huu Hung is a leading contemporary Vietnamese artist internationally recognised and celebrated for his masterful use of lacquer and gold leaf. Hung’s practice spans abstract, figurative, and landscape works, though he is best known for his elegant portraiture, particularly depictions of women in traditional attire set within dreamlike, symbolic spaces. His distinctive technique involves layering pigments with lacquer, often enriched with gold and silver leaf and crushed eggshell, creating luminous surfaces of remarkable depth and refinement. Even within this image, the richly textured red garment and the luminous gold background evoke the opulence of these materials, which are hallmarks of his distinctive practice. Mandarin Daughter not only captures the elegance of Vietnamese heritage, but also exemplifies the artist’s skill in reinterpreting traditional techniques for a contemporary audience.