Young artist brings the beauty of 54 ethnic groups to the world

From his passion for Vietnamese culture, young man Truong An Dan taught himself to draw and completed the painting series "54 Vietnamese Ethnic Groups", depicting the beauty of women in traditional costumes of 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups in the style of Hang Trong paintings.

The self-study journey of a young artist who loves national culture

Truong An Dan, 26 years old, is a former international business student at Ton Duc Thang University; currently living and working in the US with his main job being doing nails to make a living. But in the mind of this young man, Vietnam with its colorful culture is always a strong source of inspiration.

Young artist Truong An Dan and the process of diligent self-study.

“I love architecture, history, geography, especially ethnic culture. I always wondered: What would it be like if I drew a map of Vietnam with pieces of 54 ethnic groups?" and that question became the motivation for Truong An Dan to create the painting series "54 Vietnamese Ethnic Groups" in 2024. He started with the Chinese ethnic group on March 12 and completed the last painting - the Xtieng ethnic group on May 8, exactly two months of hard work.

Kinh People - 1 work in the series 54 Viet Ethnic Groups.

Choosing the style of Hang Trong paintings - a genre of Vietnamese folk paintings characterized by its softness and gentleness, An Dan depicts the image of women in traditional costumes in a stylized but still recognizable way. The characters in the paintings have round, kind faces, dreamy eyes and nuances reminiscent of matriarchal culture - one of the typical elements exploited in Hang Trong paintings.

Khmer People - 1 work in the series 54 Viet Ethnic Groups.

“This style helps me express the gentle, graceful beauty of Vietnamese women. I do not draw realistic portraits but choose stylized ones, like creating a representative portrait (profile picture) for each ethnic group,” An Dan shared.

The story of painting connecting the world and Vietnamese identity

What is special is that the entire project was carried out by Truong An Dan under the conditions of… amateurism. He has never attended any formal art school, all of his painting skills were self-taught in the evenings, after working at the nail salon. Reading documents, searching for documentary photos, researching costume details - from brocade patterns to hat styles... sometimes took up the whole day.

The image of a woman in traditional costume is depicted in the style of Hang Trong paintings.

“Each painting is not only a work of art but also a process of learning about the fashion , customs and identity of each ethnic group,” An Dan said.

When posted on social networks, “54 Vietnamese Ethnic Groups” quickly spread and received thousands of shares. Many young people learned for the first time the names or characteristics of ethnic minority costumes, expressing their admiration for the love of ethnic culture that a young person carries within him. From the spread of such cultural beauty, the 54 Vietnamese Ethnic Groups Project was included in the event “Vietnam Day Abroad”, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brazil.

The series of paintings was selected by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as the main image at the Vietnam Exhibition Hall - World Exhibition EXPO Osaka 2025.

In particular, the series of paintings was selected by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as the main image for Vietnam Pavilion - Vietnam Exhibition House at the World Exhibition EXPO Osaka 2025. This event, taking place in Japan, is considered one of the world's largest exhibitions on technology, innovation and culture, with the participation of more than 150 countries.

The space of the Vietnam Exhibition House is designed with a strong identity, with the theme "Together nurturing the future", bringing a unique cultural experience and national traditions in a modern form. Here, the paintings "54 Vietnamese Ethnic Groups" are present as visual highlights, making a strong impression on international visitors.

Images of 54 ethnic groups attract the attention and love of many young people and international tourists.

Ms. Toshiko Nakano, Osaka Prefecture Councilor (Japan), after visiting the Vietnam Pavilion, said: “Coming to the Vietnam Pavilion, my impression is the strong friendship between the two countries. The paintings of ethnic groups and traditional art create a sense of closeness, very similar to the cultural spirit of Japan”.

Brad, a tourist from the US, shared: “I was really impressed with the paintings of 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups. Each painting has its own unique colors and characteristics. It is a very beautiful, vibrant and diverse Vietnamese culture.”

Image of Muong women in 54 Viet ethnic groups.

Not following trends, Truong An Dan looks for something very traditional: costumes, headscarves, necklaces, earrings, brocade... All of which he expresses in a painting language that is close, rustic and full of national spirit.

“Viet in Vietnam, ethnic in ethnic. That is what I want to convey. Vietnam is very beautiful, each ethnic group has its own characteristics from clothing style to color and this deserves to be spread throughout the world," An Dan said.

The work The Smell of Northern Medicine, filled with memories of traditional medicine shops in District 5, is one of Truong An Dan's latest works.

With the follow-up project called “Sac Viet”, Truong An Dan hopes to continue promoting the beauty of Vietnam through modern illustration art, contributing to bringing the country’s image closer to international friends.

In a foreign land, late at night after work, An Dan still works hard with his paintbrush and palette. “I consider nail art to be my job, and painting to be my career,” An Dan said. In that journey, Truong An Dan is not only a painter, but also a storyteller, telling stories about Vietnam with loving strokes.

According to Huong Tran (baotintuc)

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/chang-hoa-si-tre-mang-ve-dep-54-dan-toc-ra-the-gioi-post329051.html