Born in Ninh Binh Province, Do Thi Ninh (B. 1947) graduated from Hanoi University of Fine Arts in 1973. As a member of the Association of Fine Arts, Ninh was a state painter who was limited to painting soldiers, peasants or workers, until the implementation of the Doi Moi policy in 1986. Nowadays Ninh works in lacquer and her artworks are largely in the semi-representational style. In ‘Thay Pagoda’, Ninh aims to depict the soul of Vietnam which she feels is more alive in the village than in the city. Cultural identity is expressed here through the undulating lines of a single pagoda. Painted in a naive style, with black outlines and primary tints, the pagoda is also a way for Ninh to experiment with harmonies between colours and shapes.
