HÀ NỘI — Members of the Viet Nam Fine Arts Association have launched an exhibition of 77 artworks focusing on human behaviour and the environment.

The exhibition Tiếng Vọng Từ Thien Nhien (Echo from Nature) is held annually.

The artworks, including lacquer, oil on canvas, acrylic and monoprint, were made by 62 artists who have gone on field trips to different areas of the country.

“Every time we go to the field, we see the changes of the living environment,” said artist Nguyễn Tường Linh.

“Artists are sensitive to nature, any unusual phenomenon in the environment is always an obsession and concern. We can't stay out of it.”

If the past was beautiful images and poetic space, the present raises many questions about environmental issues such as environmental and resource protection.

Highlights of the exhibition include Tiếng Vọng (The Echo), Vo Đề (Untitled) and Cay Co Đơn (Lonely Tree) which express the artists’ concerns about environmental changes and the civic responsibility to work for a green and clean environment.

Long Bien Bridge and agricultural lands in the Hồng (Red) River appear in Phạm Ngo Vượng’s The Echo, but parts of the river are badly affected by dumping.

Vượng uses acrylic with a patchy colour to depict the polluted environment of the river.

Untitled by Vương Mạnh Lan is a contrast between the beauty of the deep blue sky and white clouds with dead fish floating in the seriously polluted river.

“Through the image of dead fish, the artist wants to raise concerns that human activities are destroying the natural environment,” said a visitor at the exhibition.

Lonely Tree by artist Ngọc Huyền features a bare tree at the top of the mountain.   

Another visitor said: “This is the first time I have come to this exhibition house in Ha Noi.

“The artworks are strongly impressive. I want the exhibition house to have more exhibitions about the environment because it is an important issue.”

The artworks show different perspectives on nature and the environment, but all aim to send meaningful messages about protecting nature, keeping the environment green and changing people's conceptions of environmental and natural improvement.

The exhibition is running at 16 Ngo Quyền Street until June 26. VNS