Painter Van Duong Thanh: Painting the Vietnamese soul, bridging culture to the world
Painter Van Duong Thanh
Filled with love for "homeland" through the gratitude of birth, growing up through days of wartime evacuation, impressed by ancient roots in folk culture from village communal house classrooms…; these seemingly fragmented pieces created a deeply Vietnamese painter Van Duong Thanh, renowned as far as Europe. Not only moving viewers with emotionally rich creations, she has also left an enduring mark as a cultural "ambassador" bridging Vietnamese culture to the world for over half a century.
+ Having lived and worked abroad for a long time, what do you miss most about your homeland? What does the term "homeland" mean to you?
To everyone, homeland is the origin of life, like the lyrics 'The vast world is not as great as home' in musician Tran Tien's song 'Me Toi' (My Mother). Although I have experienced many Tet holidays in snow-covered lands, inside my room there is always a painting of banana flowers with scenes of the Vietnamese countryside. For visual arts like painting, the imagery of the homeland is even deeper and consistently appears in all works. Homeland is not only the place where one is born, nor is it just one's small family, childhood friends, or friends made after achieving success. Homeland lies deep in the heart from childhood until one's hair turns gray; no matter how brilliant the success, in a quiet moment of reflection, everyone's soul turns toward home.
Painter Van Duong Thanh
Since childhood, I was exposed to rice fields, the vast ocean, magnificent mountains and forests… Beyond carrying the breath of nature and plants, the beauty of the homeland also lies in the curved roofs of communal houses and exquisite artistic statues. It is by drinking from that source stream that Van Duong Thanh's paintings are recognized and leave an imprint on art appreciators.
+ You are fondly called "Vietnam's Cultural Ambassador" by colleagues, diplomats and politicians... Through your works, audiences in many countries around the world feel the beauty of Vietnamese nature, people, and culture. Is this purely an artistic direction, or is there another message or mission you wish to convey?
Homeland is an endless source of inspiration that makes me ponder day and night and create 2,200 paintings to date. Van Duong Thanh's paintings are preserved in 12 national fine art museums, in which the inheritance of folk fine arts plays an important role in identifying a Vietnamese painter who, despite many years of training abroad, still retains national identity.
Through more than five decades of creation, painter Van Duong Thanh's art demonstrates a dialogue between Vietnamese artistic tradition and the influences of modern Western art. Intimate images such as Hanoi's Old Quarter, flowers, landscapes, women, and children are consistently expressed through vibrant colors and expressive brushstrokes.
Mongolian Ambassador to Vietnam Ganbaatar Hulan
Behind each painting are months and years of labor, reflection, and creativity. When a work is given away, the artist not only hands over a painting but also embeds inside it dedication, love, memories, and dreams. When artists paint with all their love for nature, people, and country, the national culture naturally reveals itself in the work. In other words, painters only need to live sincerely with emotion and beauty, and in the gentlest and most natural way, they become "ambassadors" introducing Vietnamese beauty to viewers and international friends.
Painter Van Duong Thanh paints Long Bien Bridge
Every artist is recording history using their own signature artistic language. They all become preservers and transmitters of national cultural vitality. Artworks do not exist solely in collections; they also serve as resources to support the community, while contributing to cultural exchange and friendship between Vietnam and international friends. Art needs no translation or verbal explanation. Art acts directly on emotions, moving people, inspiring affection, and fostering compassion.
Born in Phu Yen and raised in Hanoi, Van Duong Thanh studied for a long time at the Vietnam University of Fine Arts. In 1980, she worked at the Institute of Culture and Arts Studies before going to Sweden to teach fine arts in 1987.
Since the age of 20, Van Duong Thanh's paintings have been collected and placed in the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum. Over more than half a century of artistic creation, she has produced over 2,200 works and organized more than 115 solo exhibitions. Her paintings are present in 16 museums and collections in Vietnam as well as many countries worldwide, such as Sweden, Singapore, Poland, Romania, Spain, China, India, Mongolia...
Van Duong Thanh was the first Vietnamese person to be selected twice for the CFM - Snecma (US - France) International Special Art Program in 1995 and 1997. Her paintings are also cherished and preserved by many prestigious art collectors around the world.
The artwork “Ruong bac thang” (Terraced Fields)
+ Over the past years, you have made many contributions to charitable activities in your homeland of Vietnam. Could you share more details about these activities? What do you wish to contribute to your homeland?
Parallel to art, Van Duong Thanh has quietly dedicated much devotion to philanthropic work. I was born and raised in a country that endured many wars, hardships, and losses. I want to follow my parents' teachings to share my good fortune and knowledge with young children and students. After many years studying at the Vietnam University of Fine Arts, 4 years at the University of Foreign Language Teacher Training, and 3 years of graduate studies in Sweden, I feel very fortunate to bring this knowledge to share in lectures abroad as well as in my homeland.
Painter Van Duong Thanh with one of her young students
For many years, I have been invited by teachers at the Nguyen Dinh Chieu School for the Visually Impaired in Hanoi, Marie Curie School, Capital Soc Son School, VinUni University, An Duong Primary School, Bui Quoc Khai Primary School, and the SOS Children's Village to teach and paint together with students. Some children have pursued painting and achieved great success abroad, while others with disabilities have shown immense passion for practicing painting and winning annual national and international awards... Every time I view their paintings full of creativity, love, and humanity, I am deeply moved.
Brushwork
Besides teaching, I create oil and lacquer paintings for local government agencies and Fatherland Front organizations to auction off to raise funds for lonely elderly people in Hoa Hiep (Phu Yen) and An Duong (Hanoi); raise funds for afforestation in Lang Son and Dak Lak; and provide scholarships, rice, and clothing for underprivileged hardworking children in Phu Yen, Ha Tinh…
In some years, Swedish painters and I contributed paintings and money to donate to a vocational school in Quang Tri through the Vietnam Women's Union. On the occasion of National Day, at the request of the diplomatic corps in Hanoi, I organized art classes for female ambassadors of Mongolia, Cambodia, South Africa... These classes spread friendship, helping ambassadors become closer to, understand, and love Vietnam even more.
Over many years, painter Van Duong Thanh has donated numerous paintings for auctions to raise scholarship funds for poor students, support orphanages, centers for children with disabilities, and build homes of gratitude… In particular, she founded a scholarship fund named after her father — the Van Goi Phu Yen Study Encouragement Fund — using savings from painting sales to support charitable causes. Her father was teacher and martyr Van Goi, former member of the Phu Yen Provincial Party Committee, who fell in 1960. He always taught his children to strive in learning and, upon achieving success, to share with fellow countrymen. For over half a century, she and her siblings have continuously strived to fulfill that wish.
