A work on traditional 'do' paper, produced in 1990/91.

Vu Dan Tan in the early 1990s, apart from his devotion in making masks and other art objects, had been a prolific painter. He mostly worked with traditional ‘do’ paper and newspaper, and produced paintings with dancing sky fairies, nudes, and female figures. Some of his works reflect images of his masks. The most prominent recurring theme is an abstract composition referencing the Vietnamese traditional banners for ceremonial uses. All the paintings in this series give a strong architectural effect, with association to traditional Vietnamese pagodas and temples; they effectively demonstrate how traditional and national elements can be merged and embodied in avant-garde works.

Salon Natasha as an alternative art space had been a well-known exhibition space for artists of different generations in Hanoi. During the early years of its establishment (1990-1993), artists who exhibited at the Salon were mostly close friends with Vu Dan Tan.
Back in the early 1990s, artists that actively engaged in the Salon include Bui Thanh Phuong, Do Phan and his father Mo Thanh (a pseudonym), Nguyen Dinh Dung, Tran Thieu Quang, Bui Viet Dung, Ngo Dinh Chuong, Ngo Manh Quynh, Mai Chi Thanh, and Eric Leroux.