A series of valuable works were donated to the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts.

Representatives of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association symbolically presented 25 artworks to the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum.

Recently, the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum received 25 contemporary art pieces selected and transferred by the Vietnam Fine Arts Association. This event attracted attention because it represents the largest number of works ever received, "equivalent to two years of diligent collecting by the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum," according to Dr. Nguyen Anh Minh, Director of the Museum. The 25 paintings are diverse in genre and subject matter, mostly by established artists.

Notable works include: "Golden Afternoon" by Trinh Tuan, "Homesickness" by Hoang Hong Cam, "Horse" by Hua Thanh Binh, "Chan Dang" by Le Van Hai, "One Love" by Doan Van Nguyen, "Village Girl" by Ho Huu Thu, "Truong Sa" by Ca Le Thang, "Pha Tam Giang" by Truong Be… Twelve oil paintings, four lacquer paintings, two pastel paintings, one wood carving, three unique prints, one stainless steel sculpture, and two acrylic paintings significantly contribute to the contemporary art collections of the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum and will have the opportunity to reach a wider audience in the near future.

According to artist Luong Xuan Doan, President of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, the paintings transferred to the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum this time are all valuable works by artists from many regions across the country, collected by the Association through art exhibitions, competitions, and workshops. More than 1,000 works are currently stored in the Vietnam Fine Arts Association's collection, but there has been no method or opportunity to publicize them. Therefore, the Association selected and donated 25 outstanding and representative works for the Museum to preserve, protect, promote their value, and bring them to the public. Since its establishment in 1966, generations of staff and experts at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum have made great efforts to search for and collect fine art works.

However, this work has faced many difficulties and interruptions due to limited funding and the constantly changing art market. In this context, the donation of artifacts to the Museum by the relatives of artists, collectors, and cultural and artistic organizations has become a great driving force, enriching the art collection and connecting artists with art lovers. The 25 works recently transferred all have immense collectible value if offered on the current art market, including works that the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum has long aimed to collect but has yet to find, such as the works of the talented artist Hoang Hong Cam (1959-2011).

In early 2025, the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum continuously received many valuable works of art donated by the relatives of artists and collectors. However, the Museum does not accept every donated work; it must meet all the criteria set by the Scientific Council and the Advisory Council, which includes artists and experts. Some criteria include: ensuring artistic quality, being an original work, having been appraised and verified for origin, and having a reputable author.

In early February 2025, the family of the renowned painter and sculptor Tran Tuy (1942-2019) donated the sculpture "Portrait of Painter Nguyen Do Cung" to the Museum. This bust, created by sculptor Tran Tuy in 2003, vividly portrays the demeanor of painter Nguyen Do Cung, the first Director of the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum.

With ancient art being one of the most difficult genres to collect and preserve, the folk painting collection of the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum is fortunate to have added two valuable works from collector Pham Duc Si: the devotional painting "Heavenly Painting" and "Welcoming the Buddha's Chariot" (of the San Diu ethnic group). These are two rare and valuable paintings, not only in terms of their artistic merit, but also because they contain many stories related to the culture, customs, and beliefs of the people.

Notably, the painting "Heavenly Painting" is a scroll, measuring 13 meters in length, painted with natural colors on dó paper, dating back to the early 20th century. Experts and researchers from the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum affirm that this is a rare type of long scroll painting, with a tight composition, graceful brushstrokes, and demonstrating the high aesthetic level of the ancients. Previously, in November 2024, artist, art critic, and researcher Nguyen Quan also chose the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum to entrust two of his "spiritual children": the oil painting "The Flag - Dien Bien Land" (created in 1980) and "Thang Long Dong Do Hanoi " (created in 2010). The 77-year-old artist is one of the artists who has made a strong mark in both the fields of creation and research, theory, and criticism.

It can be said that donated, transferred, and exchanged artifacts play a crucial role for the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in particular and museum institutions in general. The preservation, display, and presentation of original, high-value works at the museum brings many benefits to both the art community and the public, such as contributing to reducing counterfeiting and imitation, and serving the increasingly sophisticated needs and levels of cultural appreciation. Representing the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, Mr. Nguyen Anh Minh expressed his deep gratitude and hoped that artists, researchers, collectors, businesses, and social organizations would continue to support and contribute outstanding works of art.

According to data from the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, as of 2024, the museum had collected and preserved approximately 20,000 artifacts, including nine National Treasures and nearly 2,000 works by Indochinese artists. These artifacts reflect a relatively comprehensive history of Vietnamese art development, forming collections such as prehistoric art, feudal art from the 10th to the end of the 19th century, resistance art, modern and contemporary art, applied art, and folk art.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/them-nguon-luc-lam-giau-di-san-my-thuat-post863102.html