The Artist

1950 Nghe An Vietnam

Tiep is one of the first printmakers in Vietnam and currently dedicates his time to teaching workshops in all styles of printmaking at his studio in Hanoi.

Born in Nghe An, birthplace of Ho Chi Minh and many scholars and artists, Tiep’s grandfather was Le Van Mien, the first Vietnamese to study at the Ecole Nationale de Beaux Arts de Paris from 1891 to 1894 and the author of the first oil painting made in Vietnam, Literary Interpretation, 1905, now in the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum, Hanoi. Tiep graduated from the Stroganov College of Industrial Fine Arts in Moscow, 1969–1975 and is known for his works of extreme realism.

In December of 2020, Tiep exhibited a retrospective of his life’s works at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi where he worked before his retirement. Many works never seen before were exhibited as collectors around the world lent their works for this exhibit, a wonderful honoring of the artist who has dedicated his entire life to his art practice both in printmaking and painting.

Waiting for the Moon 1971 and New Moon 1971
Two early etchings.

Portrait of Thai Ba Van
An exquisitely rendered painting of the highly revered and dearly loved art critic, writer and poet, Thai Va Ban (1934–1999), it is considered the most treasured portrait of Thai Va Ban, a man often referred to as a national treasure within the artist community.