HUẾ - More than 100 documents and photos featuring the life of late veteran Vietnamese-French painter Lê Bá Đảng and his art are on display in Huế City.

The exhibition opened on Wednesday at the Lê Bá Đảng Art Museum on the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the art centre.

The show, entitled “Lê Bá Đảng – a Vietnamese soul ”, attracted a number of researchers and artists.

Through the documents and art on display, art-lovers can better understand Đảng’s aspirations, passions and contributions to art.

At the show, the public can admire his diverse artworks, from sketches to grandiose oil and graphic works. One of his themes is the Vietnamese war against invaders.

Nguyễn Dung, deputy chairman of the People’s Committee of Thừa Thiên-Huế Province commented, “The public can better understand his patriotism. Despite living far from home, he still loved his native land, and always hoped to contribute his efforts and talent to the country’s development with his artwork.”

A seminar was also organised at the art museum, where experts discussed the art of Đảng and honoured the great contributions by the painter. Additionally, experts suggested solutions to more widely promote the value of the art museum, which was opened to satisfy the need of enjoying art for those both inside and outside of the country.

At the event, five outstanding Vietnamese art students were awarded scholarships from the Lê Bá Đảng Creation Fund, which was launched at the event. The fund was created following the wish of the late painter to help outstanding art students who have financial difficulties.

Talented artist

Đảng became famous for his life’s work and talent, which were noted with enthusiasm in European countries. He was one of the Vietnamese painters who achieved great success in France and other countries in Europe. He expressed himself through a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, jewelry and graphic works.

Born in 1921 in the central province of Quảng Trị, Đảng went to France in 1939. He joined the anti-Nazi partisans and was held captive by the Nazi-backed government.

He later enrolled at the École des Beaux-Arts in France’s Toulouse city and was catapulted into celebrity as one of Europe’s most salient artists, after holding his first exhibit in Paris in 1950.

In the early 1990s, Đảng was listed as one of the most valuable academics of the 20th century by the International Biography Centre at Cambridge University.

In 1994, he was bestowed with a medal in recognition of his artistic and cultural contributions by the French government. He is widely recognized as an artist who provides a bridge between oriental and Western art worlds. He also developed his own art methodology, called “Lebadangspaces”.

Đảng organized his first exhibition in Việt Nam in his hometown in 1992. He died at the age of 94 in 2015 in Paris.

The Lê Bá Đảng Art Museum, at 15 Lê Lợi Street in Huế city, was opened in 2006 as an exhibition venue for his myriad artworks, including his noted paintings.

The art museum preserves and displays 349 works of art that the painter donated to the people of Thừa Thiên-Huế Province. -- VNS