Born in 1956 in Thanh Ha village, Trung Kenh commune, Bac Ninh province, a land rich in cultural traditions and folk culture, from a young age, Luu Quang Lam decided to pursue art. He was trained from elementary, intermediate to Vietnam University of Fine Arts and graduate in fine arts. Here, he studied with leading teachers of Vietnamese fine arts such as Professor Tran Dinh Tho, painters Nguyen Thu, Tran Luu Hau, Pham Cong Thanh, Le Anh Van... Those years helped Luu Quang Lam have a solid foundation to go further in the future.

Painter Luu Quang Lam (left) and author Nguyen Hai.

Having never been to the battlefield, but in the mind and heart of artist Luu Quang Lam, the image of Uncle Ho's soldiers is always a beautiful, noble and sacred symbol. For more than 40 years of artistic creation, he has quietly and persistently portrayed the image of soldiers in many historical periods and spaces, as a profound gratitude to those who sacrificed and contributed to the Fatherland.

For him, choosing this topic is an inner urge, the result of many years of living, learning, pondering and engaging in the reality of soldier life. His attachment to this topic began in the late 1990s when he had the opportunity to attend many creative camps organized by the Ministry of National Defense and the Vietnam Fine Arts Association. Field trips to old battlefields from Dien Bien, Truong Son, Dong Loc Junction to the outpost islands helped him feel more deeply about the life of soldiers, not only in wartime but also in peacetime.

There, he had the opportunity to meet historical witnesses and listen to real-life stories of veterans, special forces, border guards, and navy soldiers. From those pieces of memory, artist Luu Quang Lam gradually created paintings that not only depict history but also deeply reflect the spirit and mentality of the soldiers.

Painter Luu Quang Lam creates paintings.

In the genre of paintings on the theme of revolutionary war, artist Luu Quang Lam does not follow the form of "slogan shouting" or dry illustration. He chooses to express through close, familiar scenes, with coherent composition, delicate visual language, warm colors and genuine character expressions. His works all have the breath of respect, of real emotions, not a "forced" description.

The work “Memories of Dien Bien Phu” is a typical example of the ability to combine traditional materials with modern revolutionary content. In this work, viewers feel the heroic echoes of our army and people in the process of fighting against French colonialism and the peak of the Dien Bien Phu battle in 1954. From the moments when grandmothers, mothers, and wives saw off soldiers to the front, then the moments when soldiers crossed mountains and forests; the militia, guerrillas, carrying food, transporting weapons, climbing passes, wading streams together to the front; the fierce battles leading to the great victory of our army and people; the image of a mother welcoming soldiers when they returned, imbued with the love between the army and the people. That is the image of faith, willpower, and solidarity of the entire Vietnamese people. Therefore, the work is not only a war history record, but also becomes a great symbol of the national spirit.

The work "Memories of Dien Bien Phu".

It is easy to see that in the paintings of artist Luu Quang Lam there are no bright, colorful images. He chooses dark colors, brown, earthy yellow - the colors of nostalgia, the depth of time. The soldiers in his paintings appear simple, everyday, sometimes the image of a soldier resting by the stream, sometimes the image of an old mother seeing her son off to the army, sometimes the silhouette of a soldier quietly sweeping yellow leaves in front of a martyrs' cemetery...

That is how artist Luu Quang Lam tells stories with respect, with a sympathetic breath for the fate of soldiers and with deep affection for history. “I paint soldiers not only to praise, but also to remind and show gratitude. Because they lived and sacrificed for us to have today. Painting is a way to preserve memories, preserve consciousness, and also to make sure future generations do not forget,” he shared.

The work "White Flowers".

Although he has turned 70, artist Luu Quang Lam still regularly creates works, still participates in creative camps, activities of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association and the Bac Ninh Province Literature and Arts Association. Artist Luu Quang Lam said: "I am continuing to exploit works about the daily lives of mothers and sisters after the war to show respect, gratitude and honor the sacrifices and losses of the soldiers' home front."

It can be said that each work of artist Luu Quang Lam is an incense stick, a sincere offering to the previous generation - the people who made history with blood and tears, so that today, artists can paint with color and light./.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/van-hoc-nghe-thuat/de-tai-luc-luong-vu-trang-qua-tranh-ve-cua-hoa-si-luu-quang-lam-1015508