VIETNAMESE NUDE PAINTINGS FROM PERSPECTIVE CULTURAL SYMBOLS
Abstract
In the process of modernity and contemporary, Vietnamese nude painting that once caused controversy over aesthetic norms, gender discourse and social norms has been repositioned not only as a means of visual expression but also as an ideological space, where the layers of meaning of the body, identity and culture are created. Through the survey of some typical works of Vietnamese painters from the twentieth century to the present, Vietnamese nude paintings both inherit the Asian tradition of discreetness and moral concepts, and absorb modern visual language to affirm a new view of the body. The image of the naked body became a symbol of many conflicts and reconciliations, between the preservation of fine customs and the desire for creative freedom, between the masculine discourse and the attempt to redefine the feminine, between the colonial past and the post-colonial cultural identity. The study also analyzes how nude painting reflects broad social transformations, openness in sexual discourse, globalization in the reception of art, and the shift of beauty from an ideal model to diversity and individualization. At the same time, cultural symbols in nude paintings also contribute to shedding light on how contemporary Vietnamese perceive the power, aesthetics and human value of the human body. Approaching from the perspective of cultural symbolism contributes to overcoming emotional prejudices, building objective scientific awareness, and orienting research, management and conservation. Thereby, Vietnamese nude paintings are positioned as an important component of contemporary art with national identity, integrating international art standards.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejsss.v11i4.2070
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