Thirty-six paintings are on display at an exhibition in Hanoi showcasing different cultures among artists from Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Life in colour: The painting entitled Keep Breathing by Thailand's Lampu Kansanoh and paintings by Vietnamese Dao Quoc Huy and Malaysian Chua Cheng Koon (clockwise).

The exhibition is being held under an exchange and co-operation programme launched by the Vietnam Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition.

This is the first such exhibition, whose purpose is to expand mutual understanding among artists in the ASEAN community.

Representing Malaysia is artist Yong Look Lam, displaying his watercolour paintings from a series entitled Sa Pa – Vietnam. The paintings were made after his first visit to the country last April, when he went to draw in Sa Pa in the northern province of Lao Cai.

Lam portrays Mong ethnic women and children in his 75cm by 56cm painting.

"I was deeply impressed by the colourful dress of Mong ethnic people in Sa Pa," he said.

"As an outsider, I'm very interested in small girls carrying babies behind their backs. I saw most activities in their daily lives being performed by women."

Lam is deputy-president of the Malaysian Contemporary Art and has organized six solo exhibitions, and taken part in many exhibitions in Malaysia and other countries.

Two other Malaysian artists are Chow Chin Chuan and Chua Cheng Koon.

Chow has on display his oil on canvas-series, entitled Nanyang Coffee Shop, focusing on a man in a coffee shop. Meanwhile, Chua brings to the exhibition his series, entitled Chasing Waves, portraying Malaysian children playing with water.

One of the youngest artists is Thai Lampu Kansanoh. She was earlier selected for the artist in residence programme at the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum in Japan.

Four of her paintings at Ha Noi's exhibition were painted this year and feature dogs. The oil and acrylic on canvas paintings, measuring 100cm by 100cm, depict relationships between dogs and people.

"It's a little sensitive because I know some Vietnamese eat dog meat. When I was small my family had dogs and I loved them very much," she said.

"Through these paintings, I want to say that dogs are people's best friends".

Artist Lampu drew these paintings with all her love for these best friends of people. The painting, entitled Keep Breathing, features a dog teaching a baby to swim, and in My Bodyguard a young girl is protected by two dogs.

The two Thai artists are Sumalee Ekachonniyom and Supaporn Chulaka.

Sumalee's paintings focus on the sea, while Chulaka's acrylic on canvas series is entitled Mom's Flower.

The three artists from Viet Nam are Nguyen Thanh Son, Dao Quoc Huy and Vu Dinh Tuan.

The four works by artist Son are unique, having used traditional Vietnamese material – truc chi paper.

Huy's oil on canvas paintings, measuring 150cm by 220cm, are the largest at the exhibition. The paintings reflect complications and virtual lives in modern society.

Tuan's paintings are watercolour on silk. They portray human faces through abstract expressionism.