Thanh Huong Doan (Ha Noi, b. 1990)
Thanh Huong Doan graduated from the Faculty of Painting at the Hanoi College of Art in 2013 and from the Faculty of Art Pedagogy at the National University of Art Education in 2015. The artist herself has a young daughter, so she is especially touched by the image of a mother carrying her child, often seen in Lao Cai. In the foreground of The Sun on the Back is the portrait of a mother and daughter with friendly expressions in traditional H’Mong costumes that the artist encountered at Bac Ha market. In the background are minimalist tree branch details with interwoven soft colour patches, creating an unusual abstract background. The Sun on the Back evokes the cherished mother-daughter relationship, a source of empathy for most viewers. Thanh Huong is also skilled in the lacquer technique and has a lacquer painting on display in the de Chapa restaurant.