HEROIC MOTHERS - Portraits of Vietnamese Heroic Mothers drawn by veteran artist Đặng Ái Việt are available on the website chandungme.vn. Photo taken from the website

HCM CITY – The HCM City Department of Science and Technology has officially launched a website showcasing portraits of some 3,000 Vietnamese Heroic Mothers drawn by veteran artist Đặng Ái Việt.

The website at chandungme.vn was built and developed by the Geographic Information System Application Centre (HCMGIS) under the department since January 2020.

It aims to keep and share emotional stories about Vietnamese Heroic Mothers’ sacrifice and devotion to the country.

Lâm Đình Thắng, director of the department, said the humanitarian project contributed to educating and promoting lessons of patriotism and national pride among the people.

The 77-year-old Việt happily announced, “My dream has come true.”

The artist said digitalising all the portraits was the best way to keep paper paintings forever.

Each painting depicts images of the Vietnamese Heroic Mother and offers information on her homeland and the story of her sacrifices and losses. The date when Việt created the painting is also noted.

She added that the website was also a gift to today's and future generations, reminding them of the fallen who had sacrificed their lives for the nation's independence and freedom.

Apart from the portraits, the website introduces books and videos featuring Việt’s journey across the country to capture images of Vietnamese Heroic Mothers.

JOURNEY FOR ART - Artist Việt travelled across the country by motorbike several times to capture images of Vietnamese Heroic Mothers. VNA/VNS Photo by Thu Hương

As the daughter of Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta’s Tiền Giang Province, Việt graduated from the HCM City Fine Arts University in 1981 and became a lecturer at the school for 20 years.

She began her cross-country journey by motorbike to draw the country’s heroic mothers on February 19, 2010, as “a tribute and gratitude to life.”

She has completed more than 3,000 portraits in water colour.

Việt said, “Drawing Vietnamese Heroic Mothers means capturing and feeling their spirits and souls with your heart. It is not only about feelings but also about my responsibility for the country.”

The artist was conferred the title of ‘Labour Hero in the Đổi Mới (Renewal) period’ in 2020. — VNS