In Vietnamese feudal society, when first name is only reserved for men, the word 'thị' will be put after the woman's last name to identify which household she belongs to. After she gets married, her name will be made up of her father's last name, her husband's last name, and the word 'thị' respectively (like Lý Trần thị, referring to a lady who belongs to the Lý family, now becomes the Trần family’s daughter-in-law).
Just like that, 'madam addressing herself by thị' has become a habit of naming for many Vietnamese generations. In modern society nowadays, the word 'thị' gradually becomes an uncommon pronoun, it seems to be a reminder of traditional practice and a bygone era.
Being a professional art practitioner since 2007, female painter Bao Hanh works on diverse topics varying from landscape, still-life, animal to people; from Kinh girl (Vietnamese main ethnicity) to Cham, Khmer, Hmong, and Bana who belong to the minority. However, the image of the "thị" seems to always attract attention and is somewhat more prominent than the rest. This figure of choice has created a personal identity whenever the name Bao Hanh is mentioned.
It can be said that Hanh paintings featuring women have sustainably attached to Primitivism. With this style, she mainly focuses on depicting the contrast between the stationary state of the character's body movement and the vivid glittering eyes - like a window to their constantly moving inner selves. It is the hidden sorrow in a tender look, a determined look, a look that divulges the utmost pride, or a pure eagerness for new things. These nuances of the eyes seem to silently address the viewers so that they somehow feel connected with Hanh’s female figures whose characteristics might seem complex
Through her expression, Hanh has made her works stand out from other female paintings done by male artists who commonly stress-on women’s physical beauty. In Hanh’s creation ideology, true beauty probably always comes from inside, like the thoughts, the experiences, and the dedication of the "thị", regardless of what they are wearing or what role they are in charge of.
‘Thị’ (Her) exhibition will present 15 of Bao Hanh artworks from the 2008 - 2018 decade, aiming to demonstrate the artist’s thoughts on feminity, her definition of the word ‘thị’, and the evolution of Bao Hanh’s iconic standing still women. The exhibition’s Vernissage will be taken place at Fusion Original Saigon Center Hotel (at 65 Lê Lợi Street, District 1, HCMC), at 15:00 on 25 April 2023, co-organized by Lotus Gallery and Fusion Original Hotel.