Cover Propaganda artworks mirror the national fervour of this historic milestone
Propaganda artworks mirror the national fervour of this historic milestone
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Propaganda artist Ha Huy Chuong, once a soldier, is now a painter putting brush to canvas to mark the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South.
Just one day before the golden jubilee of the Liberation of the South—National Reunification—vibrant propaganda artworks adorned the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, mirroring the national fervour of this historic milestone. Among the flags and colours, I was overcome with an emotion too deep to name. In the midst of that tide of feeling, I sought out artist Ha Huy Chuong—the creative force behind one of these commemorative murals.
Now 71, the Hai Duong-born painter, a member of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, still speaks of 30 April 1975 with undiminished fervour. He was just 21 at the time, a young soldier on the cusp of history. “I can still see it clearly,” he said. “People of all ages—the elderly, labourers, women, teenagers—gathered beneath the loudspeaker. When the victory announcement came through, the crowd erupted. People wept with joy, embracing and applauding,” he recalled.
Above Now 71, the Hai Duong-born painter, a member of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, still speaks of 30 April 1975 with undiminished passion
Now 71, the Hai Duong-born painter, a member of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, still speaks of 30 April 1975 with undiminished passion
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It was from that pure, searing emotion that Ha Huy Chuong’s propaganda painting was born. “I wanted to preserve that moment in this painting, the sense of exploding joy. It was a sacred feeling, shared by an entire nation. It came after years of hardship and sacrifice for independence and reunification. When the South was finally free, the country rejoiced. That’s the spirit I wished to capture.”
Departing from his usual symbolic style, the artist opted this time for realism, a conscious choice to reflect the faces and energy of those who lived that moment. “The feeling came from deep within—it’s still with me now. Even as I painted it again, I found myself overwhelmed,” he said.
Above With nearly five decades of experience in propaganda painting, artist Ha Huy Chuong has been present at almost every significant milestone in the nation’s modern history
Above Around 30 of his works have been published by the Ministry of Culture, with tens of thousands of copies in circulation
With nearly five decades of experience in propaganda painting, artist Ha Huy Chuong has been present at almost every significant milestone in the nation’s modern history
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Ha Huy Chuong’s path to propaganda art seems almost destined. As a young student, he was introduced to it by his uncle, who took him to paint murals in their village. What began in childhood became a lifelong pursuit. During the 12-day Hanoi/Dien Bien Phu aerial campaign in December 1972, he sketched scenes from the battlefield to support his military unit. He later documented the Southern front, capturing moments from the Spring Offensive of 1975 that culminated in the Ho Chi Minh campaign.
After the war, he went on to study history at university, while simultaneously honing his artistic skills at a club in Hanoi. From 1978, his works began appearing in national exhibitions as the beginning of a steady, resolute creative journey.
With nearly five decades of experience in propaganda painting, artist Ha Huy Chuong has been present at almost every significant milestone in the nation’s modern history. Around 30 of his works have been published by the Ministry of Culture, with tens of thousands of copies in circulation. He has received five First Prizes and nearly 30 Second Prizes in national propaganda painting competitions, along with numerous awards from across the country. “I work in many genres,” he said, “but I believe I’ve been most successful in propaganda painting.”
Above It is the spirit of a new era that lives on in each brushstroke
It is the spirit of a new era that lives on in each brushstroke
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More than the accolades, it is the spirit of a new era that lives on in each brushstroke. “Wartime propaganda paintings ignited the fire that gave spiritual strength to the nation,” he affirmed. “In peacetime, they serve as companions to major cultural and political events: the Party Congress, National Day, National Assembly elections. Propaganda paintings are always there first, setting the tone and walking alongside the country’s most important moments.”
In the artist’s view, Vietnamese propaganda art is defined by its clarity. Events are depicted in a way that resonates with the Vietnamese public. Unlike the rigid forms and harsh expressions found in other countries’ propaganda art, Vietnam’s approach is softer, more fluid. During the resistance against the United States, for example, the painting Keep the homeland, keep the youth by Duong Ngoc Canh showed a Southern girl carrying a rifle, standing before a quiet bamboo grove. Though the fighting was fierce, her expression remained gentle. “That,” he explained, “is the essence of Vietnam: soft-spoken and graceful, yet enduring. It’s a quiet strength, capable of withstanding even the harshest storms.”
As a genre, propaganda painting is shaped by the need for immediacy and impact. On busy streets, people often have only a moment to absorb an image. The challenge is to say everything with simplicity and precision. In those clean, swift lines lies the quiet persistence of national spirit, settling into the viewer’s consciousness almost unnoticed.
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Above Everything moves with the times. Still, there are things from the past we cannot, and perhaps should not, modernise
Everything moves with the times. Still, there are things from the past we cannot, and perhaps should not, modernise
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Looking back, artist Ha Huy Chuong recalls the eager early days of his journey in this genre. In the first months of 1975, he painted scenes of victory, from Hue and Da Nang to Saigon, directly on walls, with the cheers of his unit echoing around him. “Sadly,” he said, “those works live only in memory. There were no photographs back then. If only we had them now, what treasures they would be.”
After more than half a century with propaganda art, when asked why he continues, the artist offers a brief reflection: “It’s like hearing a song you love. You never tire of it, and you always hope to discover more. The spiritual life has no limits. And so it is with painting. Once you’ve succeeded, you want to keep going, to keep painting until you no longer can. When the Central or local government still calls on you during major events, you simply carry on. I see that as both success and joy. It is the chance to keep contributing.”
Although, to some, certain propaganda posters may now appear “rustic” or “old-fashioned” when set against the backdrop of contemporary design, artist Ha Huy Chuong offers a thoughtful response: “There may be some truth in that. Everything moves with the times. Still, there are things from the past we cannot, and perhaps should not, modernise. A painter’s skill, and the context in which the work is used, both matter. Ultimately, we must return to its true value. In my recent painting, for example, I wanted to revive the emotions and memories of a time I lived through, so naturally the style of expression is different.”
Above Each painting captures a fleeting moment: a heartbeat of the nation and its people
Each painting captures a fleeting moment: a heartbeat of the nation and its people
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For him, painting events is not simply about aesthetic choices. “Over time, those works become historical records. They are like photographs without a camera. Each painting captures a fleeting moment, a heartbeat of the nation and its people, rendered through colour, through line, through the purest elements of human perception.”
Half a century after the country’s reunification, the artist who once carried a rifle, and now holds a brush, remains unwavering in his commitment to the cultural and propaganda front. And perhaps, behind every poster we glimpse in passing, there lingers the quiet but resolute rhythm of hearts like that of Ha Huy Chuong: individuals who lived through it all, who fought, and who continue to preserve the soul of Vietnam in the simplest, most enduring language.
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