Special art repatriation in Ho Chi Minh City

With their passion and belief in conservation, Mr. and Mrs. Le Tat Luyen - Thuy Khue have donated their valuable painting collections to the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum three times. This is not only a journey to repatriate artistic heritage, but also a strong bridge between Vietnamese art at home and abroad.

Heritage Connection - From Passion to Faith

The Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts has just received 43 paintings in the Collection "From Indochina Fine Arts to Gia Dinh Fine Arts (1925 - 1975)" donated by Mr. and Mrs. Le Tat Luyen - Thuy Khue. This is the third consecutive collection in less than a decade, following the donations in 2018 and 2023, marking the journey of repatriating Vietnamese fine arts from France to the homeland, contributing to enriching the country's artistic heritage.

Representatives of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts opened the seal of the collection "From Indochina Fine Arts to Gia Dinh Fine Arts (1925 - 1975)", donated by Mr. and Mrs. Le Tat Luyen - Thuy Khue.

The collection “From Indochina Fine Arts to Gia Dinh Fine Arts (1925 - 1975)” gathers 43 valuable works, vividly reflecting the process of Vietnamese painting in the 20th century. This is the period of formation and development of two important fine arts training centers: Indochina College of Fine Arts ( Hanoi ) and Gia Dinh Fine Arts School (Saigon). The collection brings together works of many famous painters such as: Le Pho, Vu Cao Dam, Thai Tuan, Pham Dinh Tin, Van Den, Bui Xuan Phai, Ta Ty, Tran Phuc Duyen, Pham Tang, Vo Dinh, Trinh Cung, Dinh Cuong, Nguyen Trung, Do Quang Em, Buu Chi...

Among them are 4 outstanding works: Thien Thai by Pham Tang (oil on canvas), Phu Nu Bac Van Toc Bare by Vu Cao Dam (silk), Tuong Doi by Bui Xuan Phai (oil on canvas) and Portrait of Bui Giang by Dinh Cuong (watercolor). The works show the diversity of materials and styles, reflecting the cultural, historical and aesthetic depth of Vietnamese painting during the first half and middle of the 20th century.

Associate Professor Dr. Lam Nhan, Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture, representative of Mr. and Mrs. Le Tat Luyen - Thuy Khue's family in Vietnam, shared: "Initially, the list included 34 works, however, during the arrangement process, they accidentally found 6 more paintings by artist Le Ba Dang - special creations on the theme of war. Thus, all the remaining paintings in the family have been sent to the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts".

Opening up memory space

This acquisition has contributed to enriching the collection of the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, affirming the connection between Vietnamese artistic heritage abroad and the homeland. A typical example is the work Chua Thay (lacquer, 180x80cm, 3 panels) by artist Tran Phuc Duyen, one of the lacquer masters from the Indochina College of Fine Arts. The work expresses the traditional Vietnamese character while applying Western techniques, elevating lacquer from a purely decorative language to a painting language. Tran Phuc Duyen has persistently researched and combined the Eastern spirit from Zen painting and ink painting with modern Western materials and techniques.

Also returning this time is the work "Northern Women with Bare Hair" (silk, 21x31cm) by artist Vu Cao Dam. He skillfully expressed the ancient atmosphere of the East through Renaissance art, creating depth for silk paintings through light and dark techniques. Vu Cao Dam is also the only person who recreated Renaissance art for Vietnamese silk paintings, breaking free from the flat, monochromatic techniques of Chinese paintings. In the painting, the face of a Northern woman appears with a straight nose, mysterious dove eyes, and soft, black hair tied back, exuding the pure, noble beauty of the Vietnamese soul.

The return of these works of art not only enriches the treasure trove of Vietnamese fine arts, but also reminds us of our responsibility in preserving and cherishing our heritage. These paintings act as a bridge between our homeland and the Vietnamese community across the five continents, between tradition and modernity, between memory and reality… So that the public can not only admire the works, but also touch the spirit, passion and love for Vietnam in the people who have put all their faith and memories into painting.

In a letter sent to the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, Mr. and Mrs. Le Tat Luyen - Thuy Khue shared: "In 2018, after donating the Le Thi Luu painting collection (26 works by female artist Le Thi Luu and 1 work by Ngo The Tan), we were very pleased with the way it was preserved and displayed.

In 2023, the donation of the Le Ba Dang collection (including 236 works) further strengthened that belief. After returning home in November 2024, we recognized the outstanding efforts of the museum team, especially the completion of the modern exhibition space, the publication of the book Le Ba Dang - The Man and His Works compiled by Thuy Khue, as the author wished. Therefore, today we continue to donate the new collection."

BLUE

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/cuoc-hoi-huong-nghe-thuat-dac-biet-tai-tphcm-post814764.html