Biography

Le Thiet Cuong attended the Vietnam State Film School in Hanoi where he studied set design and animation, following in the profession of his parents. His early artistic talents were noted from an early age when he was evacuated to the country during the American war. He spent his days drawing and became a cartographer during his army service in the early 80´s.

Le Thiet Cuong‘s trademark gouache on cheesecloth and paper paintings have now become iconic of their time. His style is minimalist and is inspired by Buddhist teachings and Eastern philosophies, which is apparent in his often simple compositions. However, he never loses sight of the importance of the depiction of village and country life in his paintings motivated by his early childhood experiences. Objects and food from everyday life such as rice, grains, rice bowls, and chopsticks are important motifs in his works. “Rice culture is food for the spirit”, Cuong has commented. His paintings are often stark in their simplicity yet rich and diverse in their meaning and interpretation and hold a serene power in our ever-changing cluttered world.

Le Thiet Cuong was born in 1962 in Hanoi. He is the son of the writer – the poet Le Nguyen, and his mother is the famous filmmaker Do Phuong Thao. His solo exhibitions are held in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, Korea, and many other countries. Le Thiet Cuong's paintings are included in the collection of the National Museum Singapore, Deutsche Bank AG - Hanoi, ABN Amro Bank - Singapore.

Publications

TIME Magazine, November, 2007

NY Art Magazine, February 2006

L'Humatite Magazine, September 2005

Sotheby's Singapore Catalogue, December 2003

The Bangkok Post, October 2000 and October 2002

Christies' Singapore Catalogue, March 1999

Elle, October 1997

“Platform": 1-70 young modern Artists from Asia and Latin America: 1997

"Asian Art News": November-December 1997

The Singapore Straits Time, October 1997

Tableau, Fine Arts Magazine Holland, September 1997

The Art Magazine "Tate": Spring 1997

TIME Magazine, August 1996

The South China Morning Post, May 1995

Vogue, April 1995

Solo Exhibitions

2022: “The Tale of Kieu”, Thang Long Gallery, 41 Hang Gai, Hanoi.

2015: Seeking, Gallery 39, Hanoi

2014: Mosaic, included 20 ceramic/ lacquered paintings, Gallery39, Hanoi and Ly club, Sai Gon

2013: “13”, included 13 panorama paintings, Gallery39, Hà Noi.

2010: Oneself, Gallery 39, Ha Noi, Vietnam

2009: Peaceful, Shingendo Gallery, Tokyo, Japan.

2008: Lan’s Story, Thanh Binh Gallery, Hanoi, Vietnam

2007: Tree exhibition, Gallery 39A, Hanoi, Viet Nam.

Like a Nil, Korean Cultural Center, Hanoi, Viet nam

2006: Manuscript, Gallery39, Ha Noi, Viet Nam

2005: Grains of rice, Gallery Dragon, Ha Noi, Viet Nam

2004: Inspiration from Basho’s Poem, Shingendo Gallery, Tokyo, Japan.

Meeting Myself, Gallery55, Bangkok, Thailand.

Zoom Vietnam, Gallery Gajah, Singapore

2003: Unspoken Dialogue, Plum Blossoms, New York, U.S.A

2002: The way to one, Gallery55, Bangkok, Thailand

2001: Minimalist Path, Dragon Gallery, Ha Noi, Viet Nam

2000: Beyond our Vision, Gallery 55, Bangkok, Thailand.

1999: Point of view, Plum Blossoms Gallery, Singapore & HongKong

1998: Vietnam Today, Gallery Andy Julien, Zurich, Switzerland.

1997: The changing eye, Plum BlossomsGallery, Singapore& HongKong

1995: The Quite Path, Plum Blossoms, Hong Kong & Singapore.

1991: The Pastoral, the 1st show at Centre for Exhibition & Artistic Exchange, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Group Exhibitions

2010: One day, Trung Nguyen Group, Ha Noi

2008: Moving style, Hanoi & Hochiminh city, Vietnam

2007: Good morning Vietnam, Good morning Korea, Seoul, Korea.

A peaceful Land, Dubai.

2006: “II Drago e la Farfalla” Vittoriano, Roma, Italy.

1998: A Winding River - the Journey of Contemporary Art in Vietnam, Meridian International Center, Washington D.C., USA

Three Contemporary Vietnamese Artists, Cork Street Gallery, London, England.

Arts Plastiques et Visuals de 1925 a nos jours, Escape Meridien, Bruxelles, Belgium.

1997: From the Red River to the Mekong, the new trend in Vietnam, Centre Wallonie - Bruxelles, Paris, France

View of Contemporary Art, Novotel Gallery, Vientiane, Laos

1996: Vietnam - Contemporary Art, SI Centrum, Stuttgart, Germany