Dao Hai Phong is regarded as one of Vietnam’s most successful painters to emerge after Doi Moi and he has exhibited extensively since 1993 in his native Vietnam as well as abroad. Highly regarded for his rendering of villages on the outskirts of Hanoi, his artistic journey has been one of memory and the preservation of the vanishing cultural geography of his youth.

Phong uses a bold palette and unique textures. His paintings are full of detail but are usually devoid of people and characterized by a peaceful emptiness. An ethereal glow from a light source within a building or the shadows, reflections and mirror images seen in his compositions evoke moods and questions in the viewers mind. Phong’s emotions and genius are embedded in his brilliant pieces. “Painting brings me great pleasure and my works reflect both my optimism and melancholy. Each painting carries some of me with it; my joys, hopes and fears …”