Old wooden doors have been used to express the artistic ideas of young painter Tran Lam Binh in his first-ever solo exhibition, recently opened in Hanoi.

The former student of the Hue Fine Arts College has employed the traditional method of using lacquer to change the insentient doors into impressive and meaningful artworks. Binh, who was born in the central province of Quang Binh, said he bought all the doors at the Tay Loc flea market in the ancient imperial capital of Hue.

“For many people, those doors are simply inanimate objects, but I realised the meaning hidden in those doors: they witnessed the ups and downs of society as well as the Hue locals,” said Binh.

Red and yellow are the main colours he used in each painting which, he explained, “represents the colour of glorious royal periods of the Nguyen dynasties in Hue“.

Binh also attached different items, including a mini gas holder, a crushed aluminium water pot, a piece of water tube and a roll of barbed wire, onto the paintings. “I want to express the connection between the past and the present. However, visitors to the exhibition may find other meanings when they contemplate my works.”

A University of Technology student, Pham To Uyen, commented on the paintings: “A great meaning hidden behind simple expression.”

Another exhibition visitor, Le Trung Hoang, who is also an artist, appreciated the effort Binh made overcoming the long distance to bring the doors from the centre to Hanoi.

“I also appreciate the idea of using the old doors as a way to express artistic ideas. However, I prefer the original doors that Binh used for his installations to the ones he transformed into lacquer paintings. In my opinion, the original items themselves have a significant value,” he commented.

The exhibition, entitled Dong (Close), runs until February 5 at L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien Street, Hanoi.