'Presence' of 20,000 anonymous people through graphic novels

Within the framework of the European Literature Days event series lasting from May 5 to 11, Kim Dong Publishing House has introduced to readers two graphic novels in the series Memories of Overseas Vietnamese by French artist Clément Baloup, revolving around Vietnamese "workers" and "foot soldiers" during World War II.

Accordingly, nearly 100 years ago, ships carried thousands of Vietnamese farmers across the sea to France as well as remote islands in Oceania. They were either forced to work or voluntarily exported through French colonial recruitment companies. They were often called "chan dang" (registered as a laborer) or "ling gia", working as miners to exploit precious minerals as well as toiling in weapons factories, salt fields, rice fields, textile factories... with terrible working conditions.

Two works by Clément Baloup have just been released.

PHOTO: K.D

According to documents, about 20,000 Vietnamese people came to the "home country" in this way, but this is still a part of history that is often overlooked, unknown to both the French and the Vietnamese. Later, because they were trapped by the war, they had no choice but to voluntarily stay because they could not return home. Previously, in the book Les Tro Bay Vặt , writer-director Viet Linh had meetings with these witnesses, thereby somewhat "dusting off" their stories.

Realizing this shortcoming, French artist of Vietnamese origin Clément Baloup has made great efforts to fill in the gaps. He said that the origin of the two works began with the question "Who am I?" when his father was also a Vietnamese laborer who traveled around the world, and from a young age he followed his father throughout Europe, Polynesia and South America. To create the book series, Baloup interviewed dozens of witnesses, from which he found common motifs and then combined them with historical research, archival documents, personal notes... to create the works.

A colorful page in the work

PHOTO: K.D

Speaking more about the choice of graphic novel form, Baloup said that this genre, in addition to depicting historical events and highlighting "talking" figures, through images, is also effective in conveying the expressions, living spaces, mental states, and attitudes of the characters in a vivid way. Not stopping there, graphic novels also attract readers because they are both attractive with images and familiar because they are very close to the form of comics - the first books of many people. Through that, each person will find the hidden meaning behind each frame, each dialogue, to learn about a class of people who, despite suffering extreme pain, always maintain noble qualities and wholeheartedly turn to their homeland.

Although famous in the world , graphic novels are still relatively new in the domestic market. Realizing that, in recent years, book companies and publishers have been very active in introducing this genre with highly rated books, such as: Song (Hai Anh, Pauline Guitton), Maus (Art Spiegelman), The Endless World (Jean-Marc Jancovici, Christophe Blain)...

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hien-dien-2-van-nguoi-vo-danh-bang-tieu-thuyet-do-hoa-185250513223727368.htm