Dinh Thi Tham Poong
Dinh Thi Tham Poong (b. 1970, Vietnam) was born in the northwest province of Lai Chau (Northwest Vietnam) and studied at the Hanoi College of Fine Arts. She is a contemporary painter whose work is influenced by her Muong and White Thai heritage. Poong’s detailed watercolors incorporate surrealistic elements into her portrayals of the relationship between human and the natural world, often depicting women of ethnic minorities in their daily activities.
Her work is included in the collection of Post Vidai Collection, Geneva/Saigon, Switzerland/Vietnam; Singapore Art Museum (SAM), Singapore; Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan; Rupertinum Museum der Moderne Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; MacLean Collection, Mundelein, IL, USA; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA, USA; The George Washington University School of Business and Public Management, Washington, DC, USA; and The World Bank.
Studio Visit with Dinh Thi Tham Poong
Born amidst the misty mountains of Lai Chau, Dinh Thi Tham Poong’s artistic journey is a unique personal odyssey. From sculptures made in her college days to watercolor paintings on dó paper, it has evolved into a distinctive artistic language. Tham Poong’s practice is a testament to her profound connection with the natural world and the spirit of the H’mong people. In this interview, Tham Poong shares how her homeland, family memories, and her father’s love of books have shaped her work, as well as indelible impressions left by the artists she encountered in her youth. In Tham Poong’s art, viewers are invited into a world where ordinary beauty transforms into something extraordinary.
This video is part of a series of interviews by Nguyễn Art Foundation.