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DINH NGOC THANG Thang%u2019s work is increasingly sought after but because of his %u201cemerging%u201d status in the US, is listed at an attractive price point for collectors. Born, Dinh Ngoc Thang, in the town of Qu%u00e0ng Xuong, Thang spent much of his free time as a child in the Vietnamese countryside, painting. In 1997, Thang began his studies at Hanoi College of Fine Arts during which time he became a member of the %u201cYoung Artists Group%u201d of Vietnam. Drawing inspiration from %u201cthe beauty of Vietnamese women, the innocence of children, and the scenery of the homeland,%u201d Thang%u2019s scenes of ordinary life began to attract local attention and following university, Thang began exhibiting his work throughout Vietnam. In 2004, he exhibited in Thailand, his first international exhibition. In looking at the recent paintings created by Thang, there are numerous points which bring them to a level of mastery sought after by his contemporaries and influences alike. Thang applies a focused use of warm or cool colors, depending on the feeling he wishes to evoke through his work. This, balanced with an expert employment of light, does more than make a beautiful image, it brings the audience into the environment portrayed in the piece. Structural aspects found within the paintings of Thang also work to invite the viewer into, for example, the bamboo jungles of the Vietnamese countryside. This can be observed in the diminishing perspectives which directly pull the eyes of the viewer into the scene and along certain paths towards a deliberate focal point.26 MOST MAGAZINE - ISSUE 50