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 fulfil 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 taught 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

New York Historical Society

Vietnam Fine Arts Museum

National Assembly House of Vietnam

Exhibitions

2024“Pham Luan - Portraits” Solo Exhibition - Vietnam Fine Arts Museum

2022 “Tíc Tắc Sài Gòn” Solo Exhibition - 159 Dong Khoi, Ho Chi Minh City, organised by Ben Thanh Art Gallery

2020 “Paintings by Vietnamese Contemporary Artists” Group Exhibition - Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts

“Painting during Social Distancing” Group Exhibition - 71 Hang Trong Street

2018 “Vietnam - Singapore Art Exhibition“ Group Exhibition - The Arts House, Singapore

“Perspectives” Group Exhibition - Cultural Exchange Center, Hanoi

2017 “Windsor Art Fair” Solo Exhibition - Windsor, UK

2016 “Pham Luan - Seasons of Japan” Solo Exhibition - ANA Intercontinental Tokyo, Tokyo, organised by Toriizaka Art

“Opening” Group Exhibition - Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts

2015 “Singapore - Through the Eyes of Pham Luan” Solo Exhibition - The Fullerton Hotel Singapore

2014 “Pham Luan - Sunshine” Solo Exhibition - Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, Hanoi

“Pham Luan - Celebration” Solo Exhibition - George Billis Gallery, New York

2011 “Hanoi - Lights On” Solo Exhibition - Apricot Gallery (UK), London

“Pham Luan's Vietnam” Solo Exhibition - Citicorp Building, New York

2010 “Genesis” Group Exhibition - Apricot Gallery (UK), London

2009 “Glasgow Art Fair '09” at George Square, Glasgow

2008 “Two Contemporary Vietnamese Artists” Group Exhibition - Art Sydney '08 at Royal Hall of Industries, Sydney

“Merging The Best of East and West” Group Exhibition - Limkwokwing University, London

2007 “Impressions of Hanoi” Solo Exhibition - Thavibu Gallery, Bangkok

“Sunshine in Hanoi” Solo Exhibition - Exchange Square, Hong Kong

“Pham Luan - From Hanoi to Bow Bridge” Solo Exhibition - Denise Bibro Fine Art, New York

“Good Morning Vietnam, Good Morning Korea” Group Exhibition - Gallery Areum, Korean Foundation Cultural Centre, Seoul

2006 “Pham Luan's Vietnam” Solo Exhibition - Calvin Charles Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona

2005 “Here and There: Pham Luan's Paintings of Hanoi and New York” Solo Exhibition - Gelabert Studios Gallery, New York

2004 “Pham Luan's Vietnam” Solo Exhibition - Gelabert Studios Gallery, New York

“In Celebration Pham Luan at 50” Solo Exhibition - Exchange Square, Hong Kong

2003 “Venice - Through The Eyes of Pham Luan” Solo Exhibition - Galerie La Vong, Hong Kong

“Autumn Memories: Pham Luan's Paintings of Hanoi and Beyond” Solo Exhibition - Arndean Gallery, London and Kismet Gallery, New York

2002 “Hanoi Enchantment - Pham Luan” Solo Exhibition - At China Club, Hong Kong - Organised by Galerie La Vong, Hong Kong

“Where the Rivers Meet” Group Exhibition, Brussels and Luxembourg

2001 “Pham Luan's Hanoi” Solo Exhibition - Eastern Gallery, Chicago and Open House, New York

2000 “Splendour of Hanoi - Pham Luan” Solo Exhibition - At China Club, Hong Kong - Organised by Galerie La Vong and Goldman Sachs Hong Kong

1999 “Aesthetics of Pham Luan” Solo Exhibition - Galerie La Vong, Hong Kong

“Poetic Reflections - Contemporary Vietnamese Paintings” Group Exhibition - Landon Gallery, New York

“Poetic Reflections - Contemporary Vietnamese Paintings” Group Exhibition - Eastern Gallery, Chicago

1997 “Hanoi - One Day” Solo Exhibition - Hanoi

“Painting Exhibition” Group Exhibition - Hong Kong

1994 “Painting Exhibition” Solo Exhibition - Exhibition House, Hanoi

“Pham Luan's Hanoi” Solo Exhibition - Galerie La Vong, Hong Kong

1991 “Hanoi - 36 Streets” Solo Exhibition - Hanoi