For Vietnamese artist in Portland, painting is like oxygen

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Lê Quang Vinh began making vibrant images in 50 years ago, not long after the April 30, 1975 fall of Saigon. The end of the Vietnam War led him to start a new life in Portland.

Painting continued to be his passion until he died in 2014 at 73. He worked as a custodian at a large company, but painting was so crucial to him, his brother-in-law will never forget how he described it as oxygen.

“A day without painting or drawing or sketching, he could not breathe,” said Lương Trọng Đức Allen.

Yet it was mainly his family and friends who knew about this talent.

Intricate details reveal story

Allen described the meaning in “one of my favorite paintings” Vinh created.

“We have a singer who is a voice of the people, and we have the woman who carries the burden of generation to come,” Allen said.

His niece, Lê Tường Vân — the youngest child of Vinh — said it’s also one of her favorites.

“I remember translating this one a lot when I was little. This one is called “Tự tình khúc,” and the translation is roughly like this song of lamentation, or a song of regret. And the story about this is there is a gentleman, a musician on the left, singing to a woman on the right,” Van said.

She remembers countless stories her father told her which is why she is “super, super passionate” about a 3-part series of exhibits and installations of her father’s work through the Vietnamese Cultural Arts Alliance.

“The more you look at them,” Allen said, “you realize how beautiful they are because they show the complexity of this life.”

The exhibits are in progress:

• A one-day event April 30 at the Oregon Historical Society
• An exhibit at the Oswego Heritage House in Lake Oswego now through August
• The Jeffrey Allen Gallery in Tigard, May 17 through August

Vinh Râu (Bearded Vinh, as he was known) never intended to sell his art. He did sell two pieces to a family friend, but only to have money for his wedding.

Now people from all walks of life will get to know Lê Quang Vinh and how he expressed himself through paint.

His daughter remembers the last thing he left with her.

“You are American and you get the opportunity because you are here,” she said. “And that I hope that with all these projects and sharing his work is that people can feel a little bit more connected to feel like this artist –who came from across the world over here 50 years ago — had things to say that people now still feel like they want to hear and that we’re always going to be together.”