Gang of Five, 1995 (From left to right: Ha Tri Hieu, Dang Xuan Hoa (seated), Tran Luong (top, standing), Hong Viet Dung, Pham Quang Vinh)

Ha Tri Hieu (b. 1959, Vietnam) graduated from the University of Industrial Fine Arts in 1983. He is recognized as a leading artist of his generation and represents an essential piece of the “Gang of Five”—the first contemporary artist collective in Northern Vietnam to achieve international acclaim. The primary subject matter in Hieu’s highly romantic and poetic paintings is the beauty and simplicity of Northern Vietnamese rural life. He was deeply influenced by the years he spent evacuated to the countryside. His paintings, therefore, recreate images of water buffaloes, stone dogs, and farmers, evoking a sense of nostalgia and the innocence of childhood. What makes Hieu’s art unique is the symbiosis of romanticism and elements of Expressionism, featuring simplified drawings and meticulously chosen colors, combined with an exceptionally subtle use of light.

His works are included in the collections of the Singapore Art Museum (SAM), the National Art Gallery of Malaysia, the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, as well as private collections both in Vietnam and abroad. Hieu has an extensive exhibition history, with notable showcases including Gang of Five: Broken Links, The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre, Ho Chi Minh City, 2018; AIA Vietnam Eye, nest by AIA, Hanoi, 2016; Flowers, Eight Gallery, Ho Chi Minh City, 2012; My Way, Art Vietnam Gallery, Hanoi, 2008; Vietnamese Identity, Melbourne, Australia, 2000; Solo Exhibition, Mai Gallery, Hanoi, 1998; and various Gang of Five exhibitions in Vietnam (1991), Bangladesh (1993), the United Kingdom (1994), and Hong Kong (1996).