Renowned for his minimalist painting style, Le Thiet Cuong was a distinctive figure in Vietnam's contemporary art scene, known not only for his visual work but also for his active role in community-based art initiatives. He graduated from high school in 1984 and studied at the Hanoi University of Theatre and Cinema from 1985 to 1990.

Over more than three decades, he pursued a minimalist aesthetic, constantly exploring through variations in tone, color harmony, shapes, and lines. Beyond painting, he was also accomplished in photography, sculpture, architecture, and design. He held exhibitions both in Vietnam and abroad, curated many art events, and had works featured in the collection of the National Museum of Singapore.

Though he found success with a paintbrush, Cuong was also passionate about writing - an interest influenced by his father, poet and screenwriter Le Nguyen (1931–2019). After publishing Thấy (See) (2017) and Người và nhà (People and Houses) (2024), he released Trò chuyện với hội họa (Conversations with Painting) in June 2025.

In both brush and pen, Le Thiet Cuong remained faithful to minimalism. He once said, “I can't do anything other than minimalism - whether it’s painting, sculpture, ceramics, or graphic design. Minimalism is who I am. It's my fingerprint, my identity - my DNA.”

“To me, minimalism is meditation, it’s silence. It’s restraint in form, color, and line - a way of speaking through silence, ‘thunderous silence’. In Buddhism, becoming a monk is returning to oneself, discovering one’s original face, finding enlightenment. In art, too, creating is a way to return inward, to find and understand oneself.”

“When I write about an artist, I only focus on the essence - the precious dust they contribute to art. I say as little as possible. I like W. Dilthey’s view: the ultimate aim of interpretation is to understand the author more deeply than they understand themselves. I only analyze the painting itself and never rely on what the artist says about their own work. Art - whether painting or writing - is subjective. Without subjectivity, there is no art.”

Tinh Le