BIOGRAPHY
Vu Dao was born in Hanoi, Vietnam in 1968. He studied at the University of Industrial Fine Arts and graduated with a BFA in murals in 1993.
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Dao embarked on his artistic career by painting bicycles. Bicycles held great significance in Vietnam, serving not only as a means of transportation but also as cherished possessions that families aspired to own. To Dao, the bicycle symbolized a faithful companion, accompanying families through generations. It represented the most precious gift a son could receive from his father when he reached adulthood and ventured out on his own.
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Since his inaugural solo exhibition in 1996, Dao's artwork has been featured in numerous exhibitions across Asia. In Vietnam, his pieces were showcased in a group exhibition in 1997, the National Art Exhibition in 2000, and the Vietnam-Malaysia Contemporary Fine Art Exhibition in 2006. His work has also traveled to Taiwan, where he held an exhibition at the Heritage Art Centre in 2004, as well as to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he participated in the Contemporary Exchange of Artistic Sensation in 2005.
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In 2006, Dao established the Viet Art Centre, a cultural and artistic hub hosting exhibitions and art exchange programs aimed at promoting Vietnamese art and its inherent values. However, due to various complications, the Viet Art Centre had to be closed down in 2013. Consequently, Dao stopped painting, feeling that his artistic journey had come to an end.
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From 2015 to 2020, Dao visited Myanmar each year to engage in meditation with monks amidst the mountains. Immersed in meditation and nature, he rediscovered his passion for art, with a particular focus on painting flowers. Presently, Dao works as a businessman, devoting himself to painting as a form of meditation and escape after the demands of a busy workday.
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Dao's collection of paintings consists of unique, one-of-a-kind pieces, exclusively available at The Heirs Gallery. Viewing his paintings as invaluable assets, Dao intends to utilize them to secure his children's future, thus inspiring the name of his gallery, The Heirs Gallery.
