(b. 1954) Nguyen Thanh Binh is a contemporary Vietnamese painter, best known for his simplified figurations upon a flat backdrop of color. Born in 1954 in Hanoi, he joined the army during the war and went on to study at Hanoi College of Fine Art where he graduated in 1972. He later attended the Gia Dinh Na College of Fine Art in Ho Chi Minh City, (now Ho Chi Minh City Fine Art University) where he specialized in oil painting (1983). Binh uses well-placed lines and subtle forms in his figures as a means to separate them from space, creating a minimalist and elegant aesthetic relating to his love of Haiku poetry. Throughout his career, Binh has staged many solo shows and participated in numerous group exhibitions in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Australia, USA, France, Belgium, and the UK. Among his numerous exhibitions are solo Shows in La Vong Gallery, Hong Kong (1996,1999, 2000, 2001); Vinh Loi Gallery, Hong Kong (1998); “The Elegance of the South”, Red River Gallery, Hanoi (2000);“Private moment”, Vinh Loi Gallery, Ho Chi Minh City (2000). Binh is a member of the Vietnam Fine Art Association.