Meet artist Tran Tu Thanh - the one who painted the symbol of Song Lam Nghe An

Graphics: Trung Kien

Artist Tran Tu Thanh was born in 1944 in Huong Khe district, Ha Tinh and grew up in Vinh city, Nghe An. From a young age, he showed a hidden talent for painting and nurtured the dream of becoming a real artist. In 1958, at the age of 15, he traveled from his hometown to Hanoi to take the entrance exam to the Vietnam University of Fine Arts.

More than 60 years have passed, but artist Tu Thanh still cannot hide his pride in being one of the 64 candidates who passed the exam that year. Graduating in 1963, he returned to his hometown and joined the revolutionary war. His real brother joined the Northern battlefield and died in the historic battle of Dien Bien Phu. Therefore, throughout his life of artistic creation, the main theme in artist Tu Thanh's paintings was beloved Uncle Ho and the revolutionary war.

"My heart has no boundaries

Our hearts share the same Uncle Ho

Our hearts share the same capital

Our hearts share the same Vietnamese legacy!”

Poet To Huu

In 1975, in the atmosphere of the whole country eagerly waiting for the day of the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country, for a whole year, this artist's mind was filled with only a propaganda painting to celebrate the day the nation turned a new page. With all his heart, after 2 weeks of diligently drawing with meticulous strokes, he completed the painting of the great Uncle Ho holding a baby in his arms.

The photo of a lifetime by artist Tran Tu Thanh. Graphics: Trung Kien

“The painting symbolizes the future generation of young people who will master the country on the background of the dove of peace and the curve of the S-shaped unified country. The meaning of the painting is also to commemorate the great contributions of the soldiers who sacrificed for the Fatherland. The soldier star placed on the dove’s eye symbolizes the bright star guiding the revolution,” artist Tu Thanh shared.

In 1976, the painting won Second Prize in the National Fine Arts Exhibition held at Van Ho Exhibition Center, Hanoi and was published by the Ministry of Culture, distributing 50,000 copies nationwide, and at the same time changing its name to "Independence, Unification, Peace and Happiness".

In 1978, his lifelong painting was hung at the intersection of Trang Tien and Dinh Tien Hoang streets, right in the heart of the thousand-year-old capital. Over the years, the country has changed dramatically, and the painting has entered the subconscious of the people of the whole country in general and Hanoi in particular. It can be said that the painting "1976" has become the heart of the capital and truly depicts the pride, life for art and love for the country of artist Tran Tu Thanh.

The painting is currently kept at the Lenin Museum – Russia, the Ho Chi Minh Museum and soon, the artist will donate the original to the Ho Chi Minh Museum. The artist confided that many countries have ordered his paintings, but he does not sell them because they are his personal works, and he only keeps them for museums.

Artist Tran Tu Thanh also had the honor of designing the Party Card. He confided: “I am proud to be a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam. And I am even more proud to be the one who designed the Party Card.”

Known in the art world as a painter who devoted his life to art and revolution. But he was also a fan of his hometown football.

In 2000, Song Lam Nghe An Football Club in its "Golden" period, dominated Vietnamese football and began to become professional. SLNA Football Team Leader Nguyen Hong Thanh launched a competition to design the SLNA Football Club Logo. The competition received more than 100 works from more than 50 artists and art designers.

With a heavy heart for his hometown Nghe Tinh and an undying love for SLNA, artist Tran Tu Thanh devoted all his heart and soul, spending many sleepless nights to create the most beautiful logos for his hometown team. Not only that, the artist also wrote an essay about the creative process and the meaning of the work he painstakingly designed.

On January 21, 2003, the Provincial Leaders and the Acceptance Council announced the selection of the work by author Tran Tu Thanh as the official Logo of SLNA Football Club, registered for national copyright. Artist Tran Tu Thanh was then Vice Principal of the University of Industrial Fine Arts, member of the Hanoi Fine Arts Association and the Vietnam Fine Arts Association.

Artist Tran Tu Thanh on a visit to Vinh Stadium. Photo: Trung Kien

At that time, most foreign and Vietnamese football teams used shields or circles as the perspective for their club logos. However, artist Tran Tu Thanh did not follow that path, he wanted SLNA to have a difference, reflecting the unique characteristics of his hometown team. Although he had drawn dozens of logos for SLNA, he was still most satisfied with the last drawing.

SLNA Club Logo has a simple but modern rectangular shape, with highlights and creating a strong impression. The green rectangle represents the grass field. The green color occupies the main position of the Logo background, evoking the color of life, of the homeland, of the gentle Lam River, which is the pride of the people of Nghe An.

The golden sphere in the middle represents the yellow ball, the traditional shirt color and identity of Song Lam Nghe An that has been deeply ingrained in the hearts of fans. The round ball also represents this as the cradle of football talent training.

The two symmetrical and opposite white panels above and below represent two sails rising high, welcoming the scorching Lao wind in the middle of the Lam River. The two white panels hug tightly in a spherical shape (ball), creating a feeling (movement) as if the ball is spinning and breaking out fiercely. The two white sail panels also represent the desire for victory.

The white letters "Song Lam" and "Nghe An" in a special position represent the nature of a football team that plays fairly and honestly in any situation for the sake of the homeland's flag and colors. It can be said that the SLNA football club logo fully represents the heroic and indomitable nature of the people of Nghe An and the tradition of Song Lam Nghe An.

"When will Lam River dry up?"

As well as the revolutionary spirit of our people

Despite storms and rain

Soviet Nghe An is worthy of being Nghe An...”

Every time SLNA played at Hang Day, the 75-year-old artist never missed a match. When he had time, he also traveled to Vinh to enjoy the "hometown specialties". In the 1980s, he had a nephew, former player Tran Ngoc Tuan, who played for the team. In those years, every time SLNA played in Hanoi, the whole team returned to his house as their "headquarters". Therefore, he considered the SLNA players as his own children and grandchildren.

“Other teams have many players from all over the country, but SLNA is the only team with 100% Nghe An players. Many Nghe An players even play for other teams. That is truly a source of pride, proving that Nghe An is a land rich in football talent. Football has times of winning and times of losing, but SLNA’s tradition is to play with all your heart. SLNA continuously has new generations of players, deserving to be the best football training environment in Vietnam.”

Artist Tran Tu Thanh is extremely proud of the SLNA flag and colors. Photo: Trung Kien

What touched artist Tran Tu Thanh the most was that the symbol of SLNA has remained unchanged over the years, the name has remained the same, and the identity has been preserved.

And most importantly, artist Tran Tu Thanh confided to us that: No matter what, the core tradition and fighting spirit of SLNA must always be inherited and promoted.

One or more defeats will not destroy the tradition and soul of SLNA that has been forged over many generations. This year, artist Tu Thanh hopes that his hometown team will maintain its excitement and win a position in the top 3 of V.League 2019. Along with that is a style of play that pleases the home fans.

We were lucky to have the opportunity to talk with artist Tran Tu Thanh. A son of Nghe An, a revolutionary artist who lived through the bomb and bullet period with boundless affection for beloved President Ho Chi Minh, a steadfast love for his homeland and country....

Artist Tran Tu Thanh is also the author of thousands of works, most of which are propaganda paintings that have won many high awards in literature and art, and are kept in major museums in the country and abroad such as: Peace and Friendship - International Graphics Award 1985, Dong Loc Intersection, Soldiers of Muong Thanh Bridge - Dien Bien Phu Victory, Quan Ho Moon - Award from UNESCO 2011, Crossing the Pontoon Bridge (Ben Thuy Bridge),... In 1999, artist Tran Tu Thanh was honored to receive the Medal for the Cause of Vietnamese Fine Arts.