A Vietnamese poet who had wished to become a painter before poetry chose him has finally been able to fulfill his dream at the age of 72, as he held his first-ever personal exhibition last week.

Tran Van Quang, better known as poet Muong Man, showcased more than 50 paintings he drew over the past 15 years at the exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday.

The 72-year-old man admitted that he had dreamt of becoming a painter but he eventually grew up becoming a poet.

But Muong Man had never ceased to pursue painting in his own way, having spent most of his spare time drawing.

Around 15 years ago, after having more or less 30 poetry collections published, Muong Man decided to give up his literary career and started dedicating his time to art.

Muong Man mostly uses rudimentary and basic compositions, colors, and structures for his works.

The paintings on display on Saturday, named Tuan trang me hoac, literally meaning “Mesmerizing Lunar Week," engendered a feeling of uncertainty of reality, boldness and mysteriousness.

Many of the artworks depict young women with long necks and narrow shoulders representing the youthful energy, while others show the nakedness and reality of life, obliging the viewers to think about the philosophy of human nature.

“He drew with his natural emotions and own thoughts,” renowned painter Le Thanh Thu commented on Muong Man’s artworks.

“The uniqueness of these pieces is that they were painted with the soul of a poet.”

Here are some of Muong Man’s paintings.

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