HÀ NỘI — Ceramic mosaics of US President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and leaders of APEC countries have been made by Vietnamese artist Mai Van Nhơn.

Others have been done of  President Hồ Chí Minh and General Võ Nguyên Giáp.

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc said the portraits, created by Nhơn and other artists in two years, would be formal gifts to APEC leaders.

Some mosaics have been given directly to the delegates who attened the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation meetings in Việt Nam. The rest will be sent to leaders of APEC member countries via embassies.

An exhibition of the collection including photos and replicas of the ceramic mosaics will be held in Hà Nội on Saturday.

Nhơn was born in a pottery and ceramic environment in Biên Hoà City, the southern province of Đồng Nai. He has nurtured a passion for fine arts and especially for pottery since childhood.

Based on portrait photos of the subjects, Nhơn created different colour shades to bring the portraits to life.

“I feel honoured that the collection will be given to the international delegates,” Nhơn said. “I expect that the exhibition will inspire other artists in my hometown to develop the traditional craft of pottery.

“I visited many craft villages on the Đồng Nai River, such as Tân Vạn, Bửu Hoà and Hoá An. I acknowledge the talent of artisans, the quality of their products good quality and the potential to develop the trade,” he said.

Trần Khánh Chương, chairman of the Việt Nam Fine Arts Association, said the portraits expressed their subject’s character and personality. It’s not easy and not many artists can do it,” he said.

Chương said he believed mosaic art could be developed to a new art genre and trend in Vietnamese fine arts.

The exhibition will run from November 18-21 at the Việt Nam Fine Arts Museum, 66 Nguyễn Thái Học Street, Hà Nội.

They will then go on display in HCM City and Biên Hoà City next month. — VNS