Born and grown up in Ha Noi, painter and sculptor Pham Hong attached his vibrant youth life to the Quang Da battlefield. This place became a promised land for art when he approached historical figures and events, thereby shaping a realistic art style rich in epic and poetic qualities.

Painter and sculptor Pham Hong (middle) talked with pupils of the Nguyen Van Linh Junior High School at the exhibition themed 'Sketches of the Zone 5 Battlefield' in 2022. Photo: D.H.L

Depicting indomitable fighting spirit

After graduating with good grades from the College of Industrial Fine Arts, painter Pham Hong (born in 1942) was sent to study abroad, but he volunteered to join resistance wars in Southern region.

During the years of joining the resistance war in Quang Nam battlefield, the heroic sacrifices of soldiers and people of the Quang Da area were an endless source of inspiration for him to make realistic sketches of the fierce war here in order to encourage the people's indomitable fighting spirit.

Sharing about this choice, painter Pham Hong recalled he grew up in Kim Giang Village, Dai Cuong Commune, Ung Hoa District, Ha Dong Province (currently known as Ha Noi) which was as beautiful as a pearl in the lowlands.

The village space was planned with many giant trees and ancient village communal houses, and the village roads are strictly tiled. The life there was very peaceful.

However, the village was razed by the enemy after 13 terrible bomb attacks. And his house, made of wood with 5 compartments, was also demolished.

After witnessing the massacre of foreign invaders, he decided to register to join Southern battlefield when he heard the news of the war in Quang Nam Province’s Dai Loc District and Quang Ngai Province’s Son My District.

“In the context of the cruel and fierce battlefield in the South, I wanted to draw paintings that reflected the true fighting and brave sacrifices of soldiers and people here to promote the spirit of the nation's resistance” Mr. Hong added.

In the condition of the battlefield frequently bombed by the enemy, artist Pham Hong had to take advantage of quick sketches and display them by spreading plastic bags or pins on tree branches, stretching ropes on the edge of the forest in places where his unit was stationed in order to propagate to the army and people about the heroic examples.

Most of the sketches were about heroic Vietnamese mothers nurturing and protecting the soldiers, plus guerrilla soldiers.

In 1972, painter Pham Hong sent 50 sketches to Ha Noi for an exhibition. In 1976, after liberation, he returned to the capital to continue studying sculpture at the Ha Noi University of Fine Arts, but could not find his works anymore.

It was not until 1985 that he knew that the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts had purchased 30 of his sketches. He later made versions of some paintings to present to the Da Nang Museum of Fine Arts. During his activities on the battlefield, he sketched more than 100 paintings, many of which were lost.

With a university degree in sculpture, painter Pham Hong has produced many valuable works of art, including Uncle Ho-The South in my heart, Uncle Ho's arms, Uncle Ho on liberation day, Mother of Quang Nam Province, Mother of the South, and Nui Thanh Heroes.

His statues are currently displayed all over the country such as ‘Quan ho’ Spring in Ha Noi; Aspirations of Spring and Mother's breast milk in Da Nang; Die For The Fatherland in Quang Tri Province; Culture Reading, Indomitable Dance, Aspirations and Flowers of Forests in Dong Nai Province; and Mother of Con Dao and Memories in Con Dao.

Many ideas nurtured

Although the war is over, but painter and sculptor Pham Hong is still working hard day and night, aiming at producing many works of artistic value for the young generation.

That is the reason that he is collaborating with the Nguyen Van Linh Junior High School based in Hoa Vang District, Da Nang, to create a statue of the late General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh.

Talking about the idea, painter and sculptor Pham Hong said the exhibition themed 'Sketches of the Zone 5 Battlefield', co-organised by the Da Nang Museum of Fine Arts at the Nguyen Van Linh Junior High School in 2022, drew much attention from the school’s pupils and teachers.

“From the exhibition, I think of the late General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh and came up with the idea to make a statue of him which will be placed in the campus of the school” he noted.

This statue is expected to be about 2.3m high and made of composite plastic. Through the image of the late General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh, school pupils will be their gratitude for the late General Secretary and strive to study to devote more to the homeland and the country.

After 10 years of the city's liberation, when in charge of the field of fine arts of the Quang Nam - Da Nang province, painter and sculptor Pham Hong was also the first to set up the International Sculpture Camp project and then ask for permission from relevant units.

He also made a report to the Ministry of Culture about a plan of a plastic culture area in the Non Nuoc historical scenic area and a garden of sculptures in the urban spaces of Da Nang.

According to him, this idea is to call for the contributions of domestic and foreign sculptors to join hands to create a contemporary sculpture park in the Marble Mountains to counterbalance the Museum of Cham Sculpture.

“It is an outdoor contemporary art space like a rock museum, thereby promoting the development of the fine arts, sculpture industry and tourism. However, at that time, due to the difficult economic situation, the project cannot be implemented" painter and sculptor Pham Hong regretted.

To maintain his idea, Mr. Pham Hong opens a workshop, gathering craftsmen from the Non Nuoc stone carving village to cooperate with Norway to carry out a small project. Currently, he still nurtures an idea of forming a contemporary sculpture park in the Non Nuoc area.

Reporting by DOAN HAO LUONG - Translating by M.DUNG