by Nguyễn Bình

The Việt Nam Fine Arts Museum in Hà Nội is holding an exhibition of more than 50 selected works from its modern fine arts collection, offering a vivid portrayal of the nation’s efforts to rebuild and develop from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Grass Field at Đồng Giao Farm, a painting by Tạ Thúc Bình.

Entitled Memories of Unforgettable Years, the exhibition brings together paintings, graphic works and sculptures executed in a range of media, including oil, lacquer, silk, gouache and pencil.

“Each work reflects the atmosphere of productive labour across different walks of life and preserves the emotions, aspirations, confidence and determination of the Vietnamese people,” said museum director Nguyễn Anh Minh at the opening ceremony.

“Through these works, audiences today and in the future may gain a deeper understanding of the past, a greater appreciation of the present and a broader vision for the future. The exhibition is not only a journey into the nation’s historical memory, but also an opportunity to honour its enduring values.”

One of the works that has attracted attention from visitors is the sculpture Đưa Cơm Ra Đồng (Taking Meals to the Fields) by Nguyễn Quốc Hùng. Created in 1979, the sculpture was inspired by composer Hàn Ngọc Bích’s song Đưa Cơm Cho Mẹ Đi Cày (Bringing Rice to My Mother Working in the Fields).

Sculptor Nguyễn Quốc Hùng (right) discusses his work with a visitor. — VNS Photos Nguyễn Bình

Hùng said he was still a 10th-grade student when he created the piece. “The song’s melody and the image of a child bringing a meal to his mother during those difficult years left a deep impression on me,” he said.

Nearly half a century later, Hùng is moved to see the piece again in a formal exhibition at the museum. For him, the greatest joy is seeing his work continue to be presented to the public.

The themes of labour, production and national construction have long been sources of creative inspiration for many of the artists represented in the exhibition.

From lowlands to mountainous areas across the country, painters and sculptors visited factories, workshops, construction sites, farms and fields, capturing the changing rhythms of working life and the collective efforts of the Vietnamese people to rebuild the nation and develop socialism.

The exhibition also recalls the years when northern Việt Nam served as a crucial rear base supporting the southern front, while its people remained steadfast in national defence and reconstruction.

National solidarity is powerfully expressed in works such as Việt Bắc (Road Construction) by Đào Đức, Transporting Supplies to the Central Highlands by Nguyễn Nhu Huân and Labouring in Support of the South by Thanh Ngọc and Trọng Cát.

The resilience and determination of the Vietnamese people were further strengthened as the country entered a period of industrialisation. The strength and dignity of workers, recognisable by their characteristic blue uniforms, are vividly portrayed in works such as Assembly Team at Hai Phong Shipyard by Nguyễn Kao Thương and A Miner by Nguyễn Sỹ Tốt.

Đan Mũ (Hat Making), a painting by Linh Chi.

The spirit of learning and labour is also represented across generations and social groups in emotionally resonant works, such as A Child Feeding Chickens by Nguyễn Phú Cường and Handing In Lost Property by Đào Văn Can. The Vietnamese tradition of valuing education and learning is particularly celebrated in Learning from One Another by Nguyễn Đỗ Cung and Female Workers Reading by Cần Thư Công.

“Historical stories told through ordinary, everyday images help younger generations better understand the lives, work and spirit of their predecessors during the period before they were born,” said visitor Trần Nhật Minh, a student at Hà Nội University of Culture.

The exhibition is held to mark the 81st anniversary of National Day. It runs until September 8 at 66 Nguyễn Thái Học Street. — VNS