Painting by late artist fetches $11,000 at charity auction

HCM CITY — A painting featuring a horse by noted poet Bùi Giáng (1926-1998) has been sold for US$11,000 at auction to raise funds for the Live to Love Vietnam charity.

The painting, created using Chinese ink and powder paint, had a starting price of $4,000. It was drawn in 1984 while the poet explored HCM City.

In October 2016, one of his paintings titled Gửi Đêm (For the Night) was sold for $27,000 after the starting price was set at $2,500.

Paintings by the poet have been hunted by collectors thanks to his skillful style and beautiful depictions. They also expressed the “crazy” emotional moods of the poet, according to experts.

Bùi Giáng started to draw in the early 1980s in HCM City. Many of the paintings he did on his travels were presented as gifts to friends, but many thought he was insane and did not keep or appreciate them.

Before an exhibition in 1975, he burned all his work and now it is believed there are only 20 left, which are highly appreciated by experts.

The poet was born in 1926 in the central province of Quảng Nam. He published various poetry collections, collections of essays and research.

However, later on in life, he chose to wander from place to place and made friends with other nomads. During this time, he admitted himself that he was “điên một cách rực rỡ” (extremely crazy). He died in 1998 in HCM City.

At the same auction held by Live to Love Vietnam held at the Gem Centre in HCM City, lacquer painting Chợ Thủ Dầu Một (Market Thủ Dầu Một) by artist Thành Lễ was sold for $28,000 from the initial starting price of $8,500.

Between 1943 and 1975, Thành Lễ’s lacquer paintings and other products were popular in various countries. His lacquer paintings were hung at French President Charles de Gaulle’s palace in Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises (La Boissery), at the private house of American President Richard Nixon and the palace of King Hassan II in Ifrane City, Morocco.

The proceeds will be used for a project to build flood-proof houses in HCM City. — VNS