28 - Ⓟ NGUYEN TAI LUONG (also known as LINH CHI, 1921–2016)

Ⓟ NGUYEN TAI LUONG (also known as LINH CHI, 1921–2016) "The Girl from Hanoi," 1990 Ink and color on silk, mounted on cardboard Signed and dated lower right 44 x 33 cm NGUYỄN TÀI LƯƠNG (pen name LINH CHI, 1921–2016) “Thiếu nữ Hà Nội,” 1990 Ink and color on silk, mounted on cardboard Signed and dated in the lower right corner 44 × 33 cm Nguyen Tai Luong, known by the pen name Linh Chi, was born in 1921 and belonged to a generation of artists whose art and artistic training were strongly influenced by the political context of their time. Coming from a relatively well-to-do family that placed great importance on education, he was sent to Hanoi at a very young age with his younger brother, the writer Nguyen Trong Hua, to receive a general education and learn French. He began his artistic training at age 21, studying notably under Tran Quang Trân. Passionate about art, he hoped to enroll in the Indochina School of Fine Arts, but his path took a different turn with the outbreak of war. Although deeply influenced by the teachings of the Indochina School of Fine Arts, his early career unfolded during the First War of Resistance (1946–1954), a period marked by opposition to French colonialism. In 1944, his first exhibition was held, featuring 43 works in oil and pastel. His second exhibition, organized by the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, featured 73 paintings. In 1946, he joined the Cultural Forces of the National Resistance and, between 1951 and 1954, participated in the Resistance’s painting course, which was supervised and taught directly by Tô Ngọc Vân. Thus, like many artists of this pivotal period in Vietnam’s modern and artistic history, his art took on a political dimension, with Linh Chi creating propaganda works that addressed his country’s political situation. Nevertheless, his body of work was not limited to this type of art. At the same time, and throughout his life, Linh Chi produced a very large number of works in various media, including silk painting—his preferred medium, sometimes enhanced with pastels—as well as watercolor. He also explored more abstract works, using gouache, pencil, and even engraving. Women became one of the central themes in Linh Chi’s work. These included women from Vietnamese ethnic groups—such as the Thai, the Mường, and the Dao—dressed in their traditional costumes, as well as the women in his immediate circle: his family members and women from Hanoi wearing their áo dài. Landscapes and still lifes also constitute a significant part of his work; the artist took pleasure in painting the places he loved, as well as scenes from rural life in Vietnam. It is undeniable that Linh Chi was not only an accomplished artist but also a talented draftsman. The artist’s collection, now preserved by his family in Hanoi, contains hundreds of drawings, executed in pencil or pastel on various media: sketches made from life and more polished anatomical studies, all of which attest to his true artistic sensibility. Nguyễn Tài Lương, known by the pen name Linh Chi, was born in 1921. He belonged to a generation of artists whose training and creative careers were deeply influenced by the political and historical context of the time. Born into a relatively well-to-do family that placed particular importance on education, from a young age he and his younger brother, the writer Nguyễn Trọng Hứa, were sent by their family to Hanoi to pursue a general education and study French. At the age of 21, he began studying fine arts, including a period of study under Trần Quang Trân. Driven by his passion for art, he had hoped to enroll at the Indochina College of Fine Arts; however, the war caused his path to take a different turn. Although deeply influenced by the artistic education of the Indochina College of Fine Arts, Linh Chi began his career during the War of Resistance against France (1946–1954), when the movement against French colonialism was in full swing. In 1944, his first solo exhibition was held, featuring 43 oil and pastel works. His second exhibition, organized by the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, showcased 73 paintings. In 1946, he joined the cultural forces supporting the Resistance; from 1951