Honored to take photos of Uncle Ho visiting his hometown
On June 14, 1957, Uncle Ho returned to his homeland for the first time after 50 years of separation. Photographer Van Dong was called by the Provincial Party Secretary Vo Thuc Dong to the Department of Culture to take photos of Uncle Ho. Van Dong was confused and moved because he was able to take photos of the leader, it was a great honor for him.
(Baonghean) -On June 14, 1957, Uncle Ho returned to his homeland for the first time after 50 years of separation. Photographer Van Dong was called by the Provincial Party Secretary Vo Thuc Dong to the Department of Culture to take photos of Uncle Ho. Van Dong was confused and moved because he was able to take photos of the leader, it was a great honor for him.
Van Dong was a skilled and experienced person, so when carrying out his duties, he was enthusiastic and quick to find the right shooting angles to capture the clearest and most beautiful images of Uncle Ho. He was honored to be present on the sacred morning of June 14, 1957, when Uncle Ho visited his hometown for the first time. Uncle Ho stood with the villagers in front of the garden of the house where he lived with his father and siblings during his childhood; Uncle Ho visited his old friend Thuyen, visited the children of Nam Lien, the Southern orphanage; visited the Vinh Power Plant construction site; visited military units. Uncle Ho talked to the people's representatives of Nghe An at the Provincial Party Committee hall in Vinh ancient citadel. Hearing Uncle Ho's words, he was moved, tears streamed down his face, and he could not see the camera lens clearly to take pictures.
Van Dong Photography House
On December 8, 1961, Uncle Ho returned to his homeland for the second time. Van Dong took a picture of the plane carrying Uncle Ho landing at Vinh Airport in the joyful atmosphere of the people. Comrade Chu Huy Man and Vo Thuc Dong came out to the stairs to welcome Uncle Ho. The open-top car carrying Uncle Ho, Uncle Ho waving, the people of Nghe An warmly welcomed Uncle Ho.
Uncle worked with the Provincial Party Committee, visited the Provincial Party Committee's communal dining hall, talked with officers and soldiers of Military Region 4; visited the wounded soldiers' camp; laid wreaths to pay tribute to the Soviet martyrs of Nghe Tinh in Thai Lao. Uncle sat in the middle of the yard with provincial, district, and commune officials and people from his maternal hometown of Chua village, next to the thatched house of Mr. Hoang Xuan Duong, his maternal grandfather who worked for his parents, which was also the place where he was born.
Many valuable and vivid photos were taken by Van Dong such as: Uncle Ho visiting Vinh mechanical factory, talking with cadres and students of the Mountainous Pedagogical School. Uncle Ho clapping and singing with excellent students of Vinh town. Uncle Ho with the Vietnamese-Thai delegates in Vinh. Uncle Ho giving candy to the actors after the performance of the play "Co gai song Lam"; Author Nguyen Trung Phong receiving a badge from Uncle Ho, Uncle Ho meeting with reporters, visiting Vinh Thanh Cooperative, Yen Thanh district; Uncle Ho visiting the coffee hill of Dong Hieu Farm (Nghia Dan); Uncle Ho taking photos with experts from friendly countries working in the Nghia Dan area...
Many typical photos captured by artist Van Dong were very vivid among many valuable images that he took during the two times Uncle Ho visited his hometown, which are still preserved in the Museum and published in the photo book "Uncle Ho with his hometown". Van Dong recalled: one day Uncle Ho met him, Uncle said in front of everyone: "You took this photo very enthusiastically and devotedly... you sat close to Uncle to take a souvenir photo together". Later, he was awarded a letter of commendation by the Nghe An Provincial Administrative Committee for serving to welcome President Ho to visit his hometown twice. He was moved: "This is the most precious memory in my artistic life".
Van Dong was born in 1920 in Vu Thu district, Thai Binh province. During the French colonial period, his family moved to Vinh, he had to do many jobs to make a living, but photography was his calling. In 1959, his work "Tien Phong Cooperative plowing in the morning mist" was awarded a certificate of merit in the Bifota International Photography Contest - Democratic Republic of Germany. Van Dong was passionate about photography, always exploring, searching for creativity: During the war against America, he wore a steel helmet on his head, a large and small camera with a built-in wrench provided by the cultural sector, plus an air gun, a knife and a wine bottle, a dilapidated bicycle. With all that luggage, he traveled all over Nghe An, capturing with his lens the atmosphere of labor production "Sickle in hand, gun in hand", "Hammer in hand, gun in hand" of farmers, workers or soldiers on artillery platforms aiming straight at the enemy, American planes like torches in the sky of his homeland...
Van Dong was elected as a member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists, term 7, in charge of the front line of Zone 4. Member of the Executive Committee of the Provincial Association of Literature and Arts, terms 1 and 2. He lived a simple and austere life. His life was like a whirlwind, he passed away suddenly, when his career aspirations and hopes were still burning within him. Van Dong ended his worldly life at the age of 63, in the regret of his fellow artists in the province.
Article and photos: Bui Xuan Luong
