Forty-three years of drawing Uncle Ho's pictures
(Baonghean.vn) While on a business trip to Quynh Lap (Quynh Luu), I and Mr. Tran Thien Thuyet - Chairman of the Elderly Association of the commune visited the family of Mr. Vo Duc Thuan, a member of the Dong Tam Association, an amateur artist but the owner of over 200 paintings. What is special is that his paintings focus on the revolutionary life of President Ho Chi Minh.
Originally from Nghe An, born in the ancient capital of Hue, in 1946 he followed his family to the North and lived in block 4, Nam Dan town. In 1957 and 1961, when Uncle Ho visited his hometown, he walked to Nam Lien hoping to see him once. Then, during the years of the war against the US, he joined the Youth Volunteer Team in C33 - N69 to build Cam Bridge (Nghe An) to serve the war. In 1969, thanks to his talent for painting, he was sent to study at the Central Film School to draw panels and advertising posters. In 1970 - 1978, he worked in the Nghe An film industry. From 1979 - 1988, also due to his talent for painting, he was accepted by Quynh Lap Leprosy - Dermatology Hospital to serve in disseminating knowledge about the prevention and treatment of leprosy - dermatology and also to rationalize his family...
Children are watching Mr. Thuan draw a picture of Uncle Ho.
With deep respect and gratitude to Uncle Ho, since 1968, he has painted a number of pictures recording some images of his revolutionary activities. In the early difficult days, he made his own painting materials from jute mallow juice, gardenia fruit, strong coffee and locust leaves... Nowadays, his main painting materials are oil paint and pigment.
Up to now, of the total of over 200 paintings he has drawn about Uncle Ho, there are over 100 portraits. Mr. Thuan shared with us: "Uncle Ho's feelings, morality and contributions are always the source of creative inspiration in all my paintings", so he has paintings such as "Deeply regretting President Ho Chi Minh", redrawn with sweat, tears and infinite regret for Uncle Ho. Supporting his wishes, his children and grandchildren, whether they are working or studying, always search for and exploit all related photos of Uncle Ho to provide him with drawing materials. For example, in 2008, Vo Duc Hien, a student at Quynh Chau 1 Primary School, found the photo "Uncle Ho misses the South, misses home", which became a priceless gift for him!
Forty-three years of passionately painting Uncle Ho's image is the same amount of time he has absorbed more about Uncle Ho's immense contributions, pure morality, and impartiality towards the nation because each painting is a mark recording the work and journey that Uncle Ho has gone through. Saying goodbye to us, Mr. Thuan confided: "As long as I have the strength, I will continue to paint Uncle Ho's pictures, because it is not only a passion for art but also a way of life and education for children and grandchildren."
Dang Ngoc Lien
