Trăm Năm Hạnh Phúc - “100 years of Happiness”, 2025
Gouache and colored pencils on fine art paper
30 x 77 x 2 cm
Wood frame in blue

“Trăm năm hanh phúc” is a large-scale gouache painting, This work explores memory, tradition, and the enduring wish for lifelong love in Vietnamese culture. The title refers to the traditional blessing, meaning “100 years of happiness,” which families offer to the newlyweds as a heartfelt wish for harmony, prosperity, and lasting affection.Inspired by my parents’ wedding 26 years ago, the painting reimagines a traditional river wedding ceremony where love flows like water, calm, steady, and full of life. In the Mekong Delta, where rivers and canals connect every village, weddings are often celebrated on boats.

Drawing from family photographs, oral stories, and ancestral rituals, I revisit the symbolism of “mâm quả”, where betel leaves, tea, and fruit are offered on trays, embodying respect and gratitude. Rendered through digital sketching and hand-coloured gouache, the piece preserves the poetic spirit of Vietnamese love and tradition.