Hanoi (VNA) – In celebration of the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2), an exhibition of large-scale lacquer paintings entitled “Spring of Independence” opened at the Ho Chi Minh Museum in Hanoi on August 18.
The exhibition is hosted by the Party Central Committee's Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation, and organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Nguyen Trong Nghia, Politburo member and head of the Commission, attended and cut the ribbon to open the event.
In his opening remarks, Vu Manh Ha, Director of the Ho Chi Minh Museum, said the exhibition was a special and meaningful artistic activity. For the first time, a collection of 17 large-scale lacquer paintings – meticulously created to depict milestones in the nation’s history, glorious victories, and vivid portraits of President Ho Chi Minh – has been introduced to the public. The works were created by a young artist, bringing a fresh perspective to a traditional art form.
The largest painting in the exhibition, measuring 7.2 metres long and 2.4 metres high, is painted on both sides. One side, entitled “President Ho reads the Declaration of Independence”, recreates Ba Dinh Square on September 2, 1945, while the other, “Spring of the Nation”, captures the jubilant celebrations of the Vietnamese people on Independence Day.
Through the artist’s visual language, the exhibition conveys love for the homeland and profound gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh and generations of soldiers and compatriots who sacrificed for national independence and freedom.
Ha noted that the works, created with a style that combines traditional lacquer materials and contemporary artistic mindset, embody unique and innovative aesthetic values. According to him, they demonstrate creativity by bridging traditional techniques with modern art, offering fresh artistic depth while also honouring the Vietnamese people’s aspirations for independence, freedom and peace.
Artist Chu Nhat Quang, who created the paintings, said the idea was conceived while he was studying abroad, when he aspired to depict major historical events from the resistance wars against the French and Americans. Upon returning to Vietnam in 2019, he immediately began sketching and gathering materials.
Quang said he wanted every detail, from film footage and paintings to photographs and narratives, to remain faithful to history. Alongside historical accuracy, he also placed emphasis on artistic harmony. He noted that the work Mua Xuan Doc Lap (Spring of Independence) alone had taken him nearly seven years of continuous effort.
He recalled being asked why, as a young artist, he chose challenging themes such as revolution and leadership. He said his love for the country and respect for history were nurtured from childhood through family, school and the media, and later deepened by overseas experiences that strengthened his appreciation of freedom and independence.
These influences, he added, inspired him to dedicate his creativity to works about the nation.
In the process of gathering materials, Quang not only studied documents and images but also visited historic sites, met with historians and local people, and listened to their stories. These experiences, he said, gave him genuine spatial and emotional insights and strengthened his determination to complete the works.
Luong Xuan Doan, Chairman of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, said Quang had taken on a major challenge by painting portraits of President Ho Chi Minh in the exhibition Spring of Independence, a choice he believed would shape the artist’s future.
According to Doan, Quang’s decision to begin his artistic journey with historical themes was particularly valuable, as it stemmed from such a profound love of Vietnamese history that it enabled him to draw genuine inspiration for his paintings./.
