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Created using acid and lacquer on aluminum alloy, the piece reflects the 30-year-old artist’s deep empathy for the working class and explores themes of displacement, solidarity, and urban transformation through contemporary materials and techniques.

As the top winner of the 2025 UOB POY (Vietnam), Thuc will receive a cash prize of VND500 million. His artwork will compete with winning entries from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand for the 2025 UOB Southeast Asian POY Award, which will be announced in November at an award ceremony in Singapore.

Victor Ngo, CEO of UOB Vietnam, said that Thuc’s artwork offers a powerful reflection on the lives of everyday workers and societal transformation. “We are pleased to see the continued passion and creativity of artists who contribute to the flourishing art scene in Vietnam through our flagship art competition,” he added.

As UOB celebrates its 90th anniversary and over three decades of presence in Vietnam, the bank remains committed to supporting local communities. The UOB POY competition is a cornerstone of the bank’s long-term corporate social responsibility efforts to nurture the arts.

“Beyond recognizing individual talent, we aim to cultivate a vibrant and sustainable art ecosystem in Vietnam and across the region,” said Victor. “By providing a platform for both emerging and established artists, we are showcasing their works to a global audience and amplifying Vietnam’s artistic presence on the international stage.”

Thuc, who graduated from Vietnam University of Fine Arts in 2020, is known for paintings rich in humanity and emotional depth. In “Temporary Connection,” he depicts a group of laborers crowded together on the back of a truck. Their gestures of holding and clutching one another convey both protection and vulnerability in a foreign place. The bodies form a square at the center, yet one corner remains missing—a metaphor for the fragility and incompleteness of their struggle for survival.

Thuc said he wanted to honor the quiet beauty and resilience of migrant workers with deep respect through “Temporary Connection.” The painting is also a reminder of the social gaps that often exist in urban life, particularly for those from remote regions seeking a livelihood in the city.

“The lack of community connection often leads to isolation and social stratification. I hope this piece can inspire reflection and help bridge those divides, envisioning a city that grows in harmony, rooted in understanding, inclusion, and empathy,” said Thuc.

The jury, UOB’s representatives and winners at the 2025 UOB POY. Photo courtesy of UOB

The 2025 UOB POY judges praised Thuc’s artwork for its emotional depth, technical innovation, and powerful social commentary. Artist Dang Xuan Hoa, Chief Judge of the 2025 UOB POY (Vietnam), noted that Thuc’s piece stood out as the most compelling work in this year’s selection, both in content and execution.

In the Emerging Artist category, Nguyen Ngoc Thuan, a 53-year-old artist from Binh Thuan, won the 2025 Most Promising Artist of the Year (Vietnam) award for his debut painting titled “Self-portrait, 2025 (A life rooted in my form as a tree).”

Created using acrylic on burlap, the artwork was inspired by a chest X-ray and the ICD (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator) that has been part of his body for the past decade. The device, which connects directly to his heart, has become a metaphorical “mother tree” rooted within him—prompting existential questions about identity and what it means to be human in an age where medical technologies increasingly prolong life.

“Self-portrait, 2025 (a life rooted in my form as a tree)” by artist Nguyen Ngoc Thuan, 2025 Most Promising Artist of the Year (Vietnam), Emerging Artist Category. Photo courtesy of Thuan

Thuan, a graduate of Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts and an acclaimed writer and member of the Vietnam Writers’ Association, is also known for literary works such as “Open the Window, Eyes Closed” and “Fundamentally Sad.”

According to Thuan, this work is a meditation on survival and transformation. He hopes that one day, devices like the ICD will be placed in museums, preserved as traces of both suffering and evolution.

“When I began painting this first work at 53, I wondered if it was too late. This award has answered that question for me: it is never too late to begin again,” Thuan said.

The finalist artworks of the 2025 UOB POY (Vietnam) competition, including the winning pieces, will be exhibited at Chillala House of Art in Ho Chi Minh City. The exhibition will be open to the public with free admission daily from Oct. 10-27, between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

The 2025 UOB POY competition in Vietnam is part of UOB’s annual flagship art program, which began in 1982 to uncover and nurture artistic talents across the region. UOB POY is the longest-running annual art competition in Singapore and one of the most recognized in Southeast Asia. This year marks the third edition of the competition in Vietnam.