HCM CITY— A painting exhibition about the late composer Trịnh Công Sơn has been released online to commemorate the 19th death anniversary of the artist this week.

The event, called Lời Thiên Thu Gọi (Sounds of Time), features 32 paintings by artist Lê Sa Long.

The works, mostly in oil, watercolour and pastel, portray Sơn in daily life and with his friends.

Works featuring famous singers, such as Vietnamese-American Khánh Ly who helped keep Sơn’s music alive through their voices, are also featured.

One of the event’s featured paintings portrays Yoshii Michiko, a Japanese fan of Sơn, who fell in love with the artist.   

Yoshii met Sơn in Paris. She travelled to Việt Nam many times during the 1970s-80s to discover Sơn and his music.

The couple decided to wed but they faced cultural differences and cancelled the wedding at the last minute.

Artist Long worked with singer Trịnh Vĩnh Trinh, the composer’s younger sister, to organise the showcase. 

According to Trinh, a concert featuring Sơn’s music was cancelled in Huế on April 1 due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Born in Huế in 1939, Sơn became popular in 1957 with his first song, Ướt Mi (Crying Eyes).

His best albums of romantic songs, such as Diễm Xưa (Diễm, My Cherished Memory), Ru Tình (Lullaby to Love) and Tự Tình (My Lyric Songs), were released in the 1960s and 70s.

Sơn became one of the southern region’s most famous songwriters after his anti-war songs were released. 

His anti-war albums, including Ca Khúc Da Vàng (Yellow Skin Song), Kinh Việt Nam (Vietnamese Prayer) and Ta Phải Thấy Mặt Trời (We Must See the Sunlight), were famous among students and young people in Sài Gòn (now HCM City) in the 60s-70s as the Vietnamese people fought to liberate the country from the American imperialists.

After 1975, Sơn continued to write songs and enjoyed success with his music. He died in HCM City in 2001 after a prolonged illness. 

His songs are performed by young and veteran singers, including pop stars Cẩm Vân and Hồng Nhung.

In February, blockbuster director Phan Gia Nhật Linh began casting for his latest film on Sơn in HCM City, Hà Nội and Huế.

The film, Em và Trịnh (You and Trịnh), worth VNĐ20billion (US$680,000) and is expected to be in cinemas next year.

The exhibition, Lời Thiên Thu Gọi , is displayed on the websites duyendangvietnam.net.vn and Motthegioi.vn. It will close on April 30.— VNS