Cheo 

Bui Xuan Phai's "Cheo" captures a vibrant performance, likely rendered with oil on canvas, drawing us into the heart of Vietnamese folk opera. The performers, their instruments, are depicted with bold strokes against a dominant red backdrop, a color often associated with energy and celebration in many cultures. This choice of color, and the gestures of the performers, evoke intense emotional states. The image may remind us of shadow plays, the puppets and actors, a cultural form appearing through many times and places, from ancient Greece to Southeast Asia. The Cheo's roots in communal storytelling and ritual resonate with the primal human need to express collective memory and identity through art. This potent symbolism continues to resurface, evolving, and taking on new meaning in different historical contexts. It highlights how cultural memory and subconscious processes affect art's interpretation, engaging viewers deeply.