Keeping pace with the times

On December 10, 1951, on the occasion of the opening of the painting exhibition in Chiem Hoa (Tuyen Quang province), President Ho Chi Minh wrote a letter to the artists. In the letter, he wrote: “Culture and art are also a battlefront. You are soldiers on that battlefront. Like other soldiers, artistic soldiers have a specific duty, which is to serve the resistance, to serve the Fatherland, to serve the People, first and foremost the workers, farmers, and soldiers.”

Those words of advice have become a guiding principle for the art community in particular and artists in general. At the same time, December 10th has also become the Traditional Day of Vietnamese Fine Arts.

Leaders of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association and participating artists attended the closing ceremony of the 2025 fine arts workshop in Lao Cai .

Remembering President Ho Chi Minh's teachings, generations of artists in Lao Cai have not only diligently created their works but have also become soldiers on the cultural and ideological front. Their artworks consistently strive to truthfully reflect history, their homeland, the country, and the process of renewal. The themes of their creations are increasingly diverse, serving both political objectives and meeting the demands of modern life and the ever-growing aesthetic needs of the public.

Artworks are not only present in exhibition spaces but also vividly present in daily life. During major holidays, Party Congresses, and elections for National Assembly and People's Council representatives at all levels, the central streets of the province are adorned with flags and flowers, highlighted by creatively designed propaganda murals. Through color, lines, and shapes, artists convey messages directly and vividly, creating a powerful impact on the viewer's visual and emotional senses.

Thanks to this, each painting and each set of panels not only contributes to creating a lively atmosphere during major festivals, but also becomes an important means of shaping awareness, changing thoughts, and influencing behavior within the community.

Artists participate in live painting sessions in Mu Cang Chai.

The plan for the development of fine arts until 2020, with a vision to 2030, approved by the Prime Minister, clearly states: “The development of fine arts aims to contribute to building an advanced Vietnamese culture, rich in national identity, building a comprehensively developed Vietnamese people, oriented towards truth, goodness, and beauty, imbued with national spirit, humanism, democracy, and science; contributing to economic development and international integration; preserving and promoting traditional art values; and at the same time, building and developing modern art values; promoting the socialization of fine arts activities to mobilize resources for investment in fine arts development.”

Therefore, policies and incentives for artists in general, and fine arts in particular, have always been a priority for the Party and the State. More literary and artistic competitions are organized. Numerous provincial and regional art exhibitions are held, providing a platform for artists. As a result, many high-quality works are produced, and the number of such works has increased significantly.

The artists took photos with local children while participating in the art camp.

Following the merger of Lao Cai and Yen Bai provinces, the Vietnam Fine Arts Association issued Decision No. 168 dated July 25, 2025, by the Standing Committee of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, merging the two branches of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association in Yen Bai and Lao Cai provinces into the Vietnam Fine Arts Association branch in Lao Cai province. The branch organized a ceremony to introduce its new Executive Committee and developed a very systematic set of operating regulations, assigning specific tasks to each Executive Committee member for effective operation. Immediately afterwards, the Vietnam Fine Arts Association organized a creative workshop in Bac Ha commune for artists from the two merged provinces to meet, interact, and work in the new environment.

Currently, the Vietnam Fine Arts Association branch in Lao Cai province has 17 core members from the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, along with 24 artists who are members of the Provincial Union of Literature and Arts. The branch is also one of the nine effective and influential literary and artistic branches within the Lao Cai Provincial Union of Literature and Arts system.

The team of creative artists, graduates from art colleges and universities, are currently working at various organizations: the Union of Literature and Arts, the Provincial Cultural Center's Information Exhibition House, the Provincial Museum, Lao Cai College, and high schools in the area... Although they work in many different professions, they all share a common passion for paintbrushes and easels.

Artist Nguyen Dinh Thi, Head of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association branch in Lao Cai province, said: “In the coming time, the branch will continue to develop new members, creating a successor pool from young people who have just graduated from professional schools and come to work in Lao Cai, and from art teachers at schools who have a passion for creating art. In addition, the branch will also organize art camps so that young people can interact with senior artists.”

While photography captures authentic moments and snapshots of life, fine art constructs a world through the language of shapes, lines, and colors. Through painting, artists express emotions, thoughts, souls, and the realities of life.

Lao Cai has long been considered a "golden land" for painting, with its expansive spaces, rich cultural identity of ethnic minority communities, and evocative natural beauty. When cultivated on this land, Lao Cai's art promises to reap many bountiful harvests.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/dong-hanh-cung-dong-chay-thoi-dai-post888658.html