Drawing on themes of childhood memories, human beliefs and spirituality, filmmaker and painter Huỳnh Công Nhớ moves between the worlds of cinema and painting, inviting viewers on a journey in search for the quiet beauty in life’s simplest moments.
“Mắt Nhớ” (The Gaze That Remembers) marks the first-ever solo exhibition in Vietnam by Đà Nẵng-based filmmaker and painter Huỳnh Công Nhớ. A special collaboration between Gallery Medium (Hồ Chí Minh City) and Galerie BAO (Paris), the exhibition features paintings created from 2022, in which the artist explores the intersection between his cinematic sensibility and the stillness of painting. Through bright colors and gentle brushstrokes, his paintings evoke a quiet sense of motion and feeling, like paused frames from a slow film, playfully and calmly translating the language of cinema onto canvas.
Installation view of “Mắt Nhớ” (The Gaze That Remembers) at Gallery Medium.
Huỳnh Công Nhớ entered the art world through cinema and was trained under the mentorship of acclaimed filmmaker Trần Anh Hùng in the Autumn Meeting program — a renowned workshop for promising young international filmmakers. In 2022, he expanded his visual storytelling by making a transition into painting. Well known for a rustic approach in filmmaking that carries emotional depth, his works focus on human experiences within Vietnam’s socio-political context, opening up endless possibilities for storytelling while reminding us of the importance of human connection and the power of stories told through various materials.
When asked about the shift into painting, Huỳnh Công Nhớ shared with Gallery Medium that it began with simple sketches made during the filmmaking process, and he began using acrylic paint to sketch out ideas for bigger film projects, as a way to channel his restless energy. Over time, painting became not only a form of artistic expression but also a return to the innocence of childhood.
Installation view of “Mắt Nhớ” (The Gaze That Remembers) at Gallery Medium.
When one gazes at Huỳnh Công Nhớ’s works, the first impression is often the profound interconnection between humans, their beliefs, and spirituality. Faceless characters appear in various states of motion against vast landscapes, each crowned with a halo, symbolizing faith, hope, and potential. Although the artist himself is not Catholic, being raised by nuns in the Catholic church has deeply influenced both his life and his art. This spiritual undercurrent, combined with his filmmaking background, is evident in the way he “frames” his landscapes and subjects, echoing the language of cinema within his paintings.
Nguyện Cầu #07 (2023), acrylic on canvas, 60 x 90 cm. Image courtesy of the artist.
Through still life paintings, the artist’s approach captures the beauty and simplicity of everyday objects with playful, colorful brushstrokes that also evoke peace. His dreamlike works depict real-life scenes — bonsai trees, toy animals, fruits cracked open, and food on the table — which blur the line between reality and imagination. These scenes emerge from his daily observations and childhood memories, shaped by a quiet belief in an invisible force residing within the ordinary. In doing so, his works invite viewers to pause and consider the quiet magic of everyday life.
Like a slow film made up of many different frames, his paintings recreate slices of moments unfolding on a moving screen by transforming the medium of moving images onto the canvas. Though still paintings, they convey a dynamic sense of emotions, drawing viewers into the emotions embedded in each piece. Childhood memories, whether joyful or sorrowful, profoundly shape the way a person perceives life, makes decisions and chooses what to hold onto their mind. Interestingly, neither the artist nor his work is bound by any specific religious belief, and his works express a broader theme that many human beings constantly search for: something to believe in and a sense of healing. This is where childhood memories intertwine with beliefs, shaped through an innocent and naive gaze.
Huỳnh Công Nhớ’s artistic journey, exploring various mediums, has profoundly shaped the themes in his work. His art resonates with the audience, whether religious or not, offering a universal human experience. “Mắt Nhớ” takes viewers from cinematic frames to intimate painting, expanding storytelling possibilities and inviting reflection on the search for peace, happiness, and genuine faith. The beauty and joy of everyday life exist alongside the chaos of the outside world, revealing the many layers of our experience. For the artist, painting became a vital way to capture his ideas and emotions amid the challenges of filmmaking, as a meaningful method of choosing what and how to remember.
Installation view of “Mắt Nhớ” (The Gaze That Remembers) at Gallery Medium.
“Mắt Nhớ” (The Gaze That Remembers) is now on view at Gallery Medium until June 15, 2025. More information on the exhibition can be found on this Facebook page.
