Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - A special painting exhibition entitled XOM by agroup of Vietnamese artists and a foreigner will open thisweek in the centre of Hanoi.

The XOM Art Exhibition 2020 is being held for the first time to mark theestablishment of the XOM Group, which consists of seven members fromacross the country and one from South Africa. They are Yen Nang, Le ThiMinh Tam, Bui Hoang Duong, Nguyen Xuan Hoang, Ha Huy Muoi and Hendrik JakobusLubbex.

The artists are expected to display more than 50 works of different artisticstyles including eight performance art shows, featuring their futuredreams and particularly their views towards beauty and life.

Yen Nang, one of the members, explained the name of the group, XOM, saying thatit was an idea with and without a meaning because the artists would like to letthe audience define it by themselves after viewing their work.

"Many people asked me about XOM, wondering what does itmean. This name was born both intentionally and unintentionally. Actually,it is not important because initially, just know it is a symbol todistinguish from any other exhibitions," according to Nang.

"However, in the long term, if we can fulfill ourdreams (or maybe not) that we convey through the content of ourworks, then the audience will understand and they can define what XOM is.That is more important," he added.

Nang, 48, will have one of his installation works and a sculpture exhibited atXOM 2020. Many of his works have appeared at different art events since2002. His art studio is at Vicas Art Garage, 32 Hao Nam, Hanoi.

For him, art is something that "authentic artists" are alwaystrying to break down its old "definition".

"Before, I used to say: 'for me, art is this or that ...' But now, Ican see, art is the reclamation. We reclaim materials, skills, mindsand soul," according to Nang.

Specifically, the artist said, now with the XOM 2020 exhibition, he hadreclaimed from "construction waste" or the iron scraps collectedfrom demolished constructions.

Meanwhile, artist Bui Hoang Duong, 37, from the central province of ThanhHoa, said he would display his special works about dogs at the exhibition.

Duong, who has travelled extensively throughout the country and abroad since2000, has a deep and endless affection for dogs, particularly those he hadraised and lived with. And his love for man’s best friend is evident inhis paintings.

Up until now, he has created more than 300 paintings and participated in manyart events since 2007.

Not surprisingly, most of his artworks are portraits of dogs, showing theinteraction between the animal and human. 

He paints dogs in different moods and in doing so, he conveys his ownemotions.

The artist said due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the exhibition will publisheight performance art works online.

Other painters in the XOM Group have created art works through their views oflife and humans.

Muoi draws like a rhetoric since he features monstrous and creepycreatures making viewers think of "contemporary dark forces".

Hoang creates works about singing and for him, painting makes hima philosopher as he shows off human nature in his own way.

Tam paints like practising. She believes in the spiritual world and shedisplays it with colours on a flat surface. She attracts viewers with hermagical beliefs. 

Hendrik paints as a presentation. He presents his culturalbackground, expatriate thoughts about his homeland and origin aswell as his vision of the strange place where he is living. The artist nowis temporarily living and working in Vietnam.

All of the works will be displayed at the event from August 19-23 at29 Hang Bai street./.