Biography

Pham Luan was born in 1954 in Hanoi, Vietnam. From a young age, he enjoyed painting and drawing whenever he had free time. He taught himself using "Buoc Dau Hoc Ve" - a drawing and painting manual by Vietnamese master Nguyen Van Ty.

Luan wanted to study arts at university. But in 1972, war was raging in Vietnam. His parents didn't want him to travel the long distance to the Art University every day. Respecting their wishes, he went to the Hanoi Teacher's Training College instead. In his first year, he was called to fulfill his obligatory military service.

In the army, Luan stayed in Thanh Hoa province, among Muong ethnic people. He continued with his art despite the hardship of wartime. He sketched the trees, the river, the rice fields, and the house on stilts. He painted with pencil, chalk, and anything he could use. He expressed what he saw and experienced through his drawings.

Pham Luan finished his military service in May 1975 and returned to his studies. After graduation, Luan taugh technical drawings at a college just outside of Hanoi. He also continued painting. He sold his first painting in 1983. Ambassadors in Hanoi took notice of his work and started collecting.

In 1990, Pham Luan decided to stop teaching and to work full time as a painter. He wanted to focus on a solo exhibition. A year later, Luan had his first-ever solo show "Hanoi - 36 Streets". The national TV station filmed a ten-minute feature on him and his paintings after the success of this exhibition.

His second exhibition was in 1994 when Luan turned 40. This show attracted both local and international interest. Shirley Hui, co-owner of Galerie La Vong (Hong Kong), saw his exhibition on the last day of her visit in Hanoi. She returned the next week with her partners to ask him to be one of their artists.

Pham Luan had his first solo exhibition overseas in 1997 with Galerie La Vong. Since then, he's had many exhibitions in Hong Kong, Singapore, London, New York, and Chicago. He's appeared in Hong Kong Tatler, Asia Art News, and South China Morning Post.

Luan's works are in the collection of the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, The New York Historical museum, and the National Assembly House of Vietnam. His paintings are also in the private collection of many collectors from the US, the UK, France, Germany, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Museum Collections

National Assembly House of Vietnam

New York Historical Society

Exhibitions

2014 Solo exhibition “Pham Luan – Sunshine” opens at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in February in Hanoi. The show continues at George Billis Gallery in New York in April

2011 Solo exhibition “Pham Luan’s Vietnam” opens at Citicorp Building, New York in March. Solo exhibition “Hanoi – Lights On” opens at Apricot Gallery (UK) in November in London.

2010 Participates in group exhibition “Genesis” at Apricot Gallery UK in London.

2009 Exhibits paintings at Glasgow Art Fair ‘ 09 at George Square, Glasgow (Scotland)

2008 Joins group exhibition “Two Contemporary Vietnamese Artists” at Art Sydney ‘ 08 at Royal Hall of Industries in Sydney (Australia). Participates in group exhibition ‘Merging The Best of East and West” at Limkokwing University in London (UK)

2007 Thavibu Gallery presents solo exhibition “Impressions from Hanoi” in Bangkok (Thailand) in April. Galerie La Vong opens solo exhibition “Sunshine in Hanoi” at Exchange Square, Hong Kong. Solo exhibition “Pham Luan – From Hanoi to Bow Bridge” opens at Denise Bibro Fine Art Gallery in New York. Participates in group exhibition ‘Good Morning Vietnam, Good Morning Korea” at Gallery Areum, Korea Foundation Cultural Centre in Seoul (Korea).

2006 Solo exhibition “Pham Luan’s Vietnam” opens at Calvin Charles Gallery in Scottdale, Arizona (USA).

2005 Solo exhibition “Here and There: Pham Luan’s Paintings of Hanoi and New York” is held at Gelabert Studios gallery in New York.

2004 Solo exhibition “Pham Luan’s Vietnam” opens at Gelabert Studios Gallery in New York.

2003 Solo exhibition “Venice – Through the Eyes of Pham Luan” is presented at Galerie La Vong – Hong Kong. Solo exhibition ‘Autumn Memories: Pham Luan’s Paintings of Hanoi and Beyond’ opens at Arndean Gallery on Cork Street in September in London. The show then continues at Kismet Gallery in New York.

2002 Galerie La Vong presents solo exhibition “Hanoi Enchantment – Pham Luan” at China Club, Hong Kong. Participates in group exhibition “Where The Rivers Meet”, organized by Red River Gallery in Brussels and Luxemburg.

2001 Solo exhibition “Pham Luan’s Hanoi” opens at Eastern Gallery in Chicago ans at an Open House in New York.

2000 Galerie La Vong and Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C. presents solo exhibition “Splendour of Hanoi – Pham Luan” at China Club, Hong Kong.

1999 Solo exhibition “The Aesthetics of Pham Luan” is presented by Galerie La Vong in Hong Kong. Featured in group exhibition “Poetic Reflection – Contemporary Vietnamese Paintings” at Landon Gallery in New York (USA) and Eastern Gallery in Chicago (USA).

1997 Solo exhibition “Hanoi – One Day” opens at Nam Son Gallery in Hanoi.

1994 Second solo exhibition opens at the Exhibition House of Vietnam Fine Arts Association, Hanoi.

1991 First solo exhibition “Hanoi – 36 Streets”, Hanoi