‘Flying Doves’ is a large contemporary oil on canvas painting created by Vietnamese artist Tran Huy Hoan in 2012. Featuring a grisaille-reminiscent palette made of grey, back and white tones accented with an eye-catching salmon color, the painting depicts a young lady presenting her back to us, her head delicately turned to the left. Her eyes are closed, but she seems to lead our attention to the empty birdcage represented on the left side of the composition. A thin translucent fabric is covering the cage partially, while a grouping of white doves is flying in the distance. The young lady, lost in her own thoughts or simply being fully present, is sitting on a water lily pad. The result is one of extreme elegance, with a serene yet melancholic scene, perfectly contrasting a monochromatic palette to the vivid accentuation of her salmon-colored top. The themes in Tran Huy Hoan’s work are contradictions within themselves. His work is both innocent and erotic. Each subject is attractive yet affecting. Hoan’s precise technical style is at once influenced by both classical and modern. His smooth brush stroke is combined with the soft monotone color palette he uses, bringing an unexpected warmth to enigmatic subject matter. The female he paints are seductive and contain an air of melancholy. They exist in their own sensually esoteric realm, yet at the same time present a sense of accessibility that draws the observer to them. These mysterious young women captivated the mood of the environment they came from. Unframed, this horizontal oil on canvas figurative painting will bring a subtle touch to any décor, perhaps placed above a bed, sofa or console table.