Painter Trần Khánh Chương, former president of Việt Nam Fine Arts Association, died yesterday. Photo tienphong.vn

HÀ NỘI  After a long time battling cancer, painter Trần Khánh Chương, former president of the Việt Nam Fine Arts Association, died yesterday, aged 77.

Painter Lương Xuân Đoàn, chairman of the Việt Nam Fine Arts Association, made the announcement.

Chương was born in 1943 in Thiên Lộc Commune, Can Lộc District, Hà Tĩnh Province. He graduated from Hà Nội University of Industrial Fine Arts - Ceramic Department in 1963.

He was an intern in ceramics in China in 1968-1970 and then he graduated from Việt Nam University of Fine Arts (faculty of painting) in 1975.

He had extensive knowledge of visual arts, creating work in various disciplines such as painting, graphic arts and pottery. He was also an author of many articles, fine arts research and books about Vietnamese ceramics.

The painter had many outstanding works of art, winning domestic and international awards for works such as Màu xanh trên vùng đất đỏ (The green on red land) in 1980 – oil painting; Đường lên Điện Biên (Road to Điện Biên) in 2005 – lacquer; Ngày vui giải phóng (Happy day of liberation) in 1986 – plaster carving; and Những cánh diều (The kites) in 1983 – plaster carving.

In his career, Chương held many important positions, including deputy director of Research Centre of Hà Nội University of Industrial Fine Arts, president of the Hà Nội Fine Arts Association, member of the Central Council for the Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts and member of the 11th National Assembly (2002-2007). From 1999 to 2019, the painter held the position of president of the Việt Nam Fine Arts Association.

For his contributions, Chương was given many awards such as the State Prize for Literature and Arts in 2007, the third-class resistance medal, the first-class labour medal, and medal for the Fine Arts of Việt Nam as well as medal for the career of Vietnamese Literature and Arts. VNS