Born in Vietnam’s southern commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh in 1978, Lim Khim Katy is the daughter of Cambodian father and Vietnamese mother, both of them are artists. “My inheritance includes a love of colour, a familiarity with brushes and an attraction to shapes from time I first became conscious of the sun and the moon.”

She draws her inspirations from life experience and interactions with ordinary people, many of who have endured hardship and suffering. “My paintings come from the feelings generated from the life around me, from people’s eyes, gesture and individual emotions they express. I prefer watching the emotions that are expressed on the faces of people who have endured difficulties, because there are so many of them in Vietnam.” , She says. Whenever I experience ‘artist’s block’ I travel and observe people and it’s the best inspiration I could ask for in my work.”

Capturing a person’s eyes is what is most important for Katy. For her, eyes are the gate way to the soul. “When I look into people’s eyes I think I can understand them and relate to their stories”. Katy’s paintings of nostalgic village homes or colorful landscape express both strong emotion and great tranquility and compliment her often melancholic portraits.

2001 Graduated from Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts University

2009 Master of Fine Arts, Ho Chi Minh Fine Arts University, Vietnam

Member of Literary and Artistry Association of Vietnam’s Ethnic Minorities

Member of Vietnam Fine Arts Association

Commissioner of Executive Committee of Ho Chi Minh Fine Arts Association

Lives and works in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam

Solo exhibitions:

2011 Eating and sleeping, HCMC

Through the eyes of Lim Khim Katy, The Taipa Houses Museum, Macau and Asiqa Fine Art, Hong Kong

2010 Portrait of silence, La Lanta Fine Art, Bangkok, Thailand

2007 Sun. Wind, Water, Hanoi Studio, Hanoi, Vietnam

2006 Symphony of Thoughts, La Lanta Fine Art, Bangkok, Thailand

2005 Color of life, Hanoi Studio, Hanoi

Group exhibitions:

2011 Vietnam’s ColorSingapore

2010 Vietnam’s SoulLondon, U.K

2004 Young Eyes Exhibition, Consulate General of France and the Vietnam Library and Artistry Association, Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam Ethnic Minority Artists, Vietnam Fine Arts Association, Hanoi

2003 Trien Lam KhuVuc 6, Vietnam Literary and Artistry Association, Ho Chi Minh City

2001 Vietnam National Fine Arts Exhibition, Van Ho Exhibition Center of Arts, Hanoi

Asia-Pacific Contemporary Arts Exhibition, organized by Philip Morris, Metropolitan Building, Ho Chi Minh

Awards and Prizes

2009 “C” Award from the Vietnamese Association of Fine Art

2007 “B” Award from the Vietnamese Association of Fine Art

2005 Certificate of Merit at Vietnam National Fine Arts Exhibition for the painting ‘Black Sea’

Award from the Vietnam Fine Arts Association for the painting ‘Asia Women’

2004 Third Prize of Jeunes Regards Exhibition organized by the Consulate General of France and the Vietnam Literary and Artistry Association for the painting ‘Empty Bowls’

2003 Award from Vietnam Literary and Artistry Association for the painting ‘Empty Bowls’

2001 Certificate of Merit at Asia – Pacific Contemporary Fine Arts Exhibition organized by Phillip Morris for the painting “The power of Numbers”