The rest of the time or in the time of ups and downs, Hieu paints for himself.
Painting for him is like finding a lifebuoy to touch the desire of absolute freedom. The artist shared his opinion on painting: “it was a distinctive realm where I can be my real self in this world and no one has the right to intervene.” The artist has found a way to hide within his self with the painting process when he still has to live in the human world and struggles with daily mundane contracts. Thus, fine arts has a new advantage for the painter is to free himself and as an antidote.