Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Paintingsdepicting the people and monks of Myanmar are on display at an exhibition in Hanoi.

The exhibition, entitled “Serenity andSplendor of Myanmar”, featured 17 oil paintings by Aung Kyaw Htet, thecountry’s most famous contemporary artist.

Gorgeous smiles and eager discussions canbe felt, yet no characters in the paintings speak a word.

Through the paintings, the monks’ faces arecharacterised by the glow of deep knowledge and inner reflection, showing thateven through bitterly difficult times, the world is still beautiful and warm.

Htet creates exquisitely detailed paintingsbut is also very liberal and adventurous when it comes to abstraction. Htet’spaintings are serene and splendid, peaceful and glorious. Peace shines fromevery face; in the smile of the novice, in the aura of nature and floatingclouds; in footsteps and even in inanimate objects.

Art critic Trinh Tuan said Htet’s paintingswere inspired by Buddhism which loes at the heart of cultural life in Myanmar.

“In traditional villages, temples are thecentre of cultural life and people always express their gratitude and respect,so we can see how Htet shaped and developed his artistic thinking.”

“With the spirit of a devotee and knowledgeof European academic painting, Htet’s works show that cultural values arealways a guarantee of the existence of a nation.”

Tuan said that the exhibition was the firstto introduce a nearly complete range of paintings by Htet.

Through Aung Kyaw Htet’s paintings, we canfeel the peaceful nature of the people of Myanmar despite their difficulties,and can see a resilient Myanmar that always raises the spiritual values despitefluctuations and pain in life.

The exhibition is being sponsored andadvised by Jorn Middelborg, the owner of the famous Thavibu Gallery.

“Htet is a devout Buddhist and grew up in asmall village - two factors which have a strong influence on his art,” saidMiddelborg.

“His new landscape and culturally orientedpaintings mark a departure from his earlier photorealism. They show thewillingness to try out new methods and draw our attention to the playfulcolours of a country rich in splendor.”

Htet was born in 1965 in Myanmar. He hasexhibited artworks in Thailand, Hong Kong, UAE, France, the Netherlands, theRepublic of Korea, the US and Myanmar.

The exhibition will run until August 14.-VNS/VNA