Phuong Quoc Tri

A self-taught artist with no formal academic training in art, Phương Quốc Trí possesses an innate ability to create an idealized sense of beauty that is distinctly his own. His particular passion for large-scale contemporary portraiture has become a notable highlight within the landscape of contemporary Saigon painting. The central subject in Trí’s work is the female face, approached from a direct, frontal perspective. Background, clothing, physical form, as well as the sitter’s origins and personality, are all concealed within a monochromatic space. Only expression and the eyes are consistently revealed—sometimes filled with longing, sometimes resolute, and at other times profoundly indeterminate.

The muses of Phương Quốc Trí always carry an air of subtlety and deep, unspoken emotions. Is this idealized beauty a reflection of the artist’s vision, or that of the subject herself? Viewers are easily drawn into layers of contemplation, captivated by a beauty imbued with mysterious depth. As for Phương Quốc Trí, he observes: “Today, conceptual beauty and expressions of beauty rooted in inner emotion are valued more highly than physical appearance or outward sentiment. I am concerned with, and strive to convey, the beauty of endurance, anxiety, private happiness, as well as pain and loneliness within the female condition. These forms of beauty require greater contemplation, empathy, and sharing, because they are not easily seen—especially within the context of modern society.”