Artist Xu Man in a Glistening Memory

(GLO) - There are people who left a long time ago, but their memories still shine brightly in the minds of others. What they gave and left behind becomes an indelible memory. The late talented artist Xu Man was such a person.

Artist Xu Man (real name Siu Dơng) is a Bahnar man who grew up in Plei Bông, Ayun commune, Gia Lai province. He was the first person in the Central Highlands to be honored with the State Prize for Literature and Arts in the field of fine arts.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth (1925-2025), the portrait of Xu Man—"the leading figure of Central Highlands art"—has been skillfully recreated through a number of artworks by his students and succeeding generations. Notably, these works will be donated to the Pleiku Museum.

Sculptor Nguyen Vinh meticulously crafts a portrait of painter Xu Man. Photo: Phuong Duyen.

1. Upon learning that the Pleiku Museum would be collaborating on the opening of an exhibition themed "The Artistic Heritage of Painter Xu Man" on the morning of November 15th, painter Nguyen Thanh Son, a member of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association and the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, immediately sat down at his easel. After a month of diligent work, a portrait of painter Xu Man in oil (70 x 70 cm) was completed. In the painting, the talented artist smiles gently, wearing a headscarf and a distinctive brocade garment. The background color was deliberately chosen: red basalt soil.

Portrait of artist Xu Man, as depicted by artist Nguyen Thanh Son. Photo: Provided by the artist.

Artist Nguyen Thanh Son recalls: His family used to live in Kep village (now part of Thong Nhat ward, Gia Lai province). The village's funeral ceremonies were the first point of connection between this young man from Hue and the culture of the Central Highlands. In 1980, two years after graduating from high school, he participated in a drawing and art class organized by the Gia Lai Department of Culture and Information. His first teacher, the one who extended that connection, was artist Xu Man. From drawing instinctively, without any concept of art, he and his fellow students were like land gradually being cleared.

What artist Nguyen Thanh Son remembers most vividly is the closeness and naturalness in the art of this special teacher. He recalled: "That time, a student finished a painting and immediately asked for feedback. 'Uncle Xu Man looked at the painting and said, "Here, you need to add people; here, you need mountains, houses, cows, and pigs. He spoke while drawing. When he stood up, I asked, 'Uncle, whose name should I sign the painting now?' He burst into hearty laughter…"

From that class, Nguyen Thanh Son had the opportunity to study at Hue College of Fine Arts (now Hue University of Fine Arts). In his very first year, a work Thanh Son had completed while studying with artist Xu Man was selected for display at the National Fine Arts Exhibition. To date, artist Thanh Son has created hundreds of works on the theme of the Central Highlands. He established his career in Ho Chi Minh City, but every time he returns to Pleiku, he visits his teacher and interacts with the Bana people there. "I have walked this path thanks to the love of Uncle Xu Man as well as my love for the profession and for the Central Highlands," he shared.

2. For successive generations in the Gia Lai art community, even though they have never met the artist Xu Man, the works and inspiration he left behind are enough to inspire admiration.

This woodblock print features a portrait of artist Xu Man, created by artist Nguyen Van Chung. Photo: Provided by the artist.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of artist Xu Man, artist Nguyen Van Chung, a member of the Provincial Literature and Arts Association and the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, undertook the creation of a woodblock print (60x80 cm) depicting the artist from the village. Using contrasting black and white tones, each carved detail vividly emphasizes the passage of time on the face of artist Xu Man. Artist Van Chung stated that he worked continuously for many days to ensure the work was included in the largest exhibition ever held about the renowned artist Xu Man.

At the same time, sculptor Nguyen Vinh, a member of the Provincial Literature and Arts Association and a member of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, also unveiled a portrait of painter Xu Man made of composite material (120x100x40 cm).

He shared: “In my mind, painter Xu Man was not only a pioneer of Central Highlands painting but also like a great bird of the forest – resilient, soaring high and leading generations of artists who followed. That image became the main source of inspiration for my portrait sculpture.” Accordingly, the face of painter Xu Man not only appears with his characteristic quiet and gentle demeanor but also shines with the spirit of a “leading bird.”

Having previously donated a portrait of the artist Xu Man to the Pleiku Museum, Nguyen Vinh will dedicate this statue to his family. "By placing the statue in his hometown, I hope that the image of 'the leading figure of the art of the Central Highlands' will continue to inspire present and future generations—those who are still listening to the voice of the forest and dreaming of new creative wings," sculptor Nguyen Vinh expressed.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/hoa-si-xu-man-trong-ky-uc-lap-lanh-post572432.html