LOT 71
NGUYEN THANH CHUONG
B. Vietnam, 1949
Untitled, 2002
Lacquer on wood
39 x 29 cm
Signed and dated “t.chuong ‘02” on upper right
PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
RM 2,500 – 5,000
Nguyen Thanh Chuong emerged as a distinctive voice in modern Vietnamese art through a practice that reinterprets traditional subjects with a simplified, contemporary visual language. Born in Bac Ninh Province in 1949 and trained at the Hanoi College of Fine Arts, he is particularly recognised for compositions that favour flattened forms, strong colour relationships and a refined sense of structure.
In this Untitled work from 2002, the figure is presented with an almost sculptural simplicity, defined by broad planes of ochre, red and muted blue. The tilted head, lowered eyes and carefully poised hands give the sitter a reflective, inward-looking presence, while the surrounding blocks of colour frame the composition with a strong sense of balance. Rather than relying on detail, Nguyen Thanh Chuong uses shape, posture and colour to create a quiet emotional intensity.