Artists from Nghe An province paint Uncle Ho with love.
Without seeking recognition or fame, artists in President Ho Chi Minh's hometown quietly paint his portrait as a way of life, a form of gratitude. And in each work, the image of President Ho Chi Minh appears both simple and great, just as the people of Nghe An have cherished his image in their hearts for generations.
Without seeking recognition or fame, artists in President Ho Chi Minh's homeland quietly paint him as a way of life, a form of gratitude. Some paint him from memories of their first encounters, others carefully gather every drop of emotion from film frames and books, letting their hearts guide them on the easel. And in each work, the image of President Ho Chi Minh appears both simple and great, just as the people of Nghe An have cherished his image in their hearts for generations.
Painter and sculptor Tran Minh Chau
Meeting painter and sculptor Tran Minh Chau at the age of 86, the first thing that impressed us was his snow-white hair, his face always beaming with a gentle smile, and his surprisingly sharp mind. It seemed that time had only grayed his hair, while his spirit of hard work and creative passion remained as vibrant as ever. In his quiet little house, beside his easel and sculpting table, he had just finished a new bas-relief.Uncle Ho– further proof of his never-ending source of inspiration when portraying the Man.
Throughout his artistic life, Tran Minh Chau has always devoted a significant portion of his passion to the theme of President Ho Chi Minh. From his days as a student at the Hanoi Fine Arts School, he was fortunate enough to meet President Ho Chi Minh three times. These deeply moving encounters became sacred memories, inspiring him to dedicate his creative heart to portraying the President. In those meetings, President Ho Chi Minh appeared so approachable: his silver hair, warm eyes, clenched hands, and graying beard... These simple details have stayed with him throughout his life, permeating every one of his works.
Tran Minh Chau possesses a vast collection of works about President Ho Chi Minh, ranging from statues and reliefs to oil paintings and wood carvings. Among them, his representative paintings include "May," "Old Friends from the Hometown," "President Ho Chi Minh's Ancestral Home," and "President Ho Chi Minh Visiting Home." In each work, he not only realistically portrays President Ho Chi Minh but also attempts to depict his serene demeanor, brilliant intellect, and boundless compassion.
What is admirable about Tran Minh Chau is his expressive yet refined style. He seeks simplicity and unpretentiousness, but always pours his heart and soul into each work, ensuring it is both deeply realistic and imbued with profound humanistic ideals. Each of his works is always connected to clear messages, very down-to-earth yet very profound. It is this approach that makes his statues of President Ho Chi Minh always exude a beauty that is both familiar and sacred, simple yet great.
At a venerable age, in his small house by the Hung Hoa dike, the elderly artist still diligently pursues his art, with a long list of unpublished works. He says, "Creating art is my way of showing gratitude to Him. Uncle Ho will always be a role model and a source of creative inspiration for me." This respected artist also expressed his wish to donate all of his artworks to his homeland, so that his works can tell the story of the great leader to future generations.
Artist Ta Quang Tam
These days, at the art workshop, painter Ta Quang Tam (Ta Tam, born in 1952) is diligently working at his easel, continuing his creative journey dedicated to President Ho Chi Minh.
His latest painting, "He is Ho Chi Minh," was born from the emotions of those historic May days – commemorating the 135th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birth and the 2025 Lotus Village Festival. In the painting, President Ho Chi Minh is simply dressed in his familiar brown robe, standing under a peaceful blue sky, beneath the vibrant red flag, and surrounded by blooming pink lotus flowers of his homeland. Beyond simply recreating the image, Ta Quang Tam also conveys a profound hope: that President Ho Chi Minh will return amidst the triumphant celebration of the nation, to the joyful embrace of the people, on the days of national reunification.
For over half a century, Ta Quang Tam has created nearly 20 paintings of President Ho Chi Minh, ranging from realistic portraits to propaganda posters. For him, the important thing is not just to accurately depict every detail – from the gray hair to the gentle beard – but also to capture the vibrant spirit within. And he meticulously expressed this with a heart full of admiration for the President. "President Ho's eyes always smiled – that's the window to his soul. The mouth depicts the portrait, but the eyes express the emotions and vitality," he reflected.
Artist Ta Quang Tam's journey of creating artworks about President Ho Chi Minh is far from over. He is nurturing new themes: President Ho Chi Minh with soldiers, children, and ethnic minorities – so that his love for his homeland and his image continue to live vividly in every brushstroke and every unfading shade of color.
Artist Nguyen Trong Hiep
As a native of the rice-growing region, raised with a love for his country and art, painter Nguyen Trong Hiep considers painting President Ho Chi Minh as a journey of reverence, a way of expressing his profound gratitude to the great leader of the nation.
Among his rich artistic legacy, Nguyen Trong Hiep has three works preserved at the Ho Chi Minh Museum, the most notable being the painting "Uncle Ho with Prince Souphanouvong". Painted between 2010 and 2012, the painting not only recreates a historical moment but is also imbued with his own unique emotions and creativity. Based on documentation of the meeting between Uncle Ho and Prince Souphanouvong in Viet Bac in 1951, he added a poetic setting: terraced rice fields of the Northwest region, Champa flowers - the soul of Laos, and doves flying, inspired by To Huu's poetry. The colors in Nguyen Trong Hiep's paintings are always strong and evocative, reflecting the passionate love he has for the image of Uncle Ho.
Not content with merely capturing historical moments, Nguyen Trong Hiep also spent many years researching archival photos, films, and books to portray President Ho Chi Minh through different periods with accuracy in his depiction and demeanor. Representative works such as "Uncle Ho Visits His Hometown," "Unity is Strength," and "Unwavering Faith in Victory" demonstrate his relentless efforts to refresh familiar themes with his own emotions, avoiding repetition of previous works.
"Uncle Ho is an immortal figure in the hearts of the nation. I only hope that through each brushstroke, people can feel that immense beauty," he shared beside a work of art about the President that is nearing completion. At the age of 80, his passion for painting and his inspiration for creating works about President Ho Chi Minh have not diminished at all.
Artist Ho Huy Hung
As one of the rare young artists who paints of President Ho Chi Minh in a unique way, painter Ho Huy Hung – a son of Nam Dan – is asserting his personal mark with works full of freedom and emotion. During the national holidays, he recently completed three new paintings of President Ho Chi Minh, as a silent tribute from his heart to the image of the President.
For him, the subject of the leader is a sacred realm, but not one of constraint. He approaches Uncle Ho not with the usual rounded, aesthetically pleasing strokes, but with large, contrasting, raw yet powerful blocks of color. Uncle Ho's skin is not smooth but created from strong acrylic; his eyes, beard, and forehead are not overly detailed but are emphasized just enough to convey a gentle, unassuming appearance. The space in the paintings is often open and airy, as if filled with sunlight – both highlighting Uncle Ho's simple beauty and showing the freedom of thought of the artist.
"For me, I can only pick up a brush to paint Uncle Ho when I'm truly moved," he shared. Before starting to create, he spends a long time watching documentaries and photos, quietly sketching moments that stir his heart. Only when the essence is imprinted in his mind does he put pen to paper – staying true to his emotions rather than focusing on form.
Growing up onUncle Ho's hometownFor Ho Huy Hung, Nam Dan is not only his hometown, but also a silent source flowing through every brushstroke, silently sowing seeds of patriotism and love for art in his heart. And the image of President Ho Chi Minh is always there, never outdated, in his very own artistic world.
