Bui Xuan Phai

(1920-1988)

Performers Applying Makeup (Opera Player)

Footnotes

Provenance
Duc Minh Gallery, 22 Ly Tu Trong Street, HCMC 11 December 2000
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner
Private Collection, USA

裴春派
後台準備（歌劇演員）
一九六八年作

簽名：Phai 68
油彩木板

來源
越南胡志明市Duc Minh Gallery
現藏家得自上述畫廊
美國私人收藏

Bui Xuan Phai (1920-1988) is today greatly celebrated and admired for his dedication and single-minded search for artistic expression, despite having to undergo in his lifetime much hardship and deprivation in pursuing his passion. Although he was persecuted and forbidden from exhibiting his works for much of his life, it did not prevent him from creating the magnificent body of work that is his legacy today. Recognised posthumously in 1996, he was awarded the prestigious Ho Chi Minh Award for his contribution to Vietnamese culture and art.

With their almost child-like quality, Phai's paintings give us a glimpse into his sensibility as he captures the old world charm of his native land. In Performers Applying Makeup, his charming depiction of Cheo theatre, the traditional folk theatre of Vietnam, shows actors applying red paint to their faces behind the scenes. The red colour explodes throughout the painting, evoking the energy and excitement of the young actors as they prepare to go on stage. Phai is an artist who displays visceral authenticity, an art that is not learned from academic study but expressed from the heart.

This painting was acquired from the Duc Minh Gallery Collection in 2000. Duc Minh (born Bùi Đình Thản) was one of Vietnam's most important art collectors. He rescued artwork from potential destruction during the turbulent times in Vietnam, and his French-style villa, now a museum, was a rendezvous for artists and a haven for freedom of expression. Duc Minh's patronage allowed the likes of Phai to survive a challenging time in history by providing them with financial support and the best paint and canvas available.