When culture and history "marry" with painting

As part of the series of activities of the comic book development project in Vietnam, on the occasion of the launch of the book series Memories of Overseas Vietnamese, Kim Dong Publishing House in collaboration with the French Institute organized a discussion on “Comics: When culture - history “marries” with painting”. The program took place at 9:30 a.m. on May 11 at the 3rd floor hall - Kim Dong Publishing House (No. 55, Quang Trung Street, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi).

The discussion “Comics: When culture - history “marries” with painting” is also one of the activities within the framework of the European Literature Days 2025, taking place from May 5 to 11 in Ho Chi Minh City, Hue and Hanoi . The event was attended by artist Clément Baloup, author of two comic books Memories of Overseas Vietnamese , literary researcher Le Nguyen Long and translator Phung Hong Minh as coordinators.

The book series "Memories of Overseas Vietnamese" by artist Clément Baloup, carrying French and Vietnamese blood

With the book series Memories of Overseas Vietnamese , consisting of 2 volumes: Vietnamese Workers - Laborers in France during World War II and Vietnamese Miners in the New World , artist Clément Baloup has recreated the complex past pieces of a Vietnamese community that seems to have been forgotten in history. With French-Vietnamese blood and a special interest in Vietnamese history and culture, artist Clément Baloup has exploited the stories from many different perspectives: comparing the differences between the perspective of witnesses and the perspective of the outside world; the concerns before the fate of people when living abroad; about the relationship between generations (parents - children).

The comic book Workers Soldiers - Vietnamese Laborers in France during World War II vividly depicts the workers soldiers of the past - Vietnamese laborers who were forced by the French colonialists to go to France to work since 1939, with their great contributions to production labor in France, their support for Uncle Ho and the Vietnamese Revolution, during a turbulent period of history. Through this, readers can also see the good qualities of the Vietnamese people. Even though they are far away from home, they still constantly strive to overcome adversity with their hearts turned towards their homeland.

Chan Dang - Vietnamese Miners in the New World gives readers the opportunity to "meet" the miners who worked as miners in New Caledonia (an overseas territory of France) in the past, thereby understanding more about a generation of Vietnamese people living abroad. In a foreign land, they have revealed many typical qualities of the Vietnamese people: diligence, hard work, courage, optimism, not giving in to adversity, always looking towards their homeland, while still actively integrating with the native community...

In the event space, readers will enjoy impressive images from two comic works and listen to speakers share about the cultural and historical significance, creative inspiration and appeal of the comic genre combined with historical documents.

QUYNH YEN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/khi-van-hoa-lich-su-ket-duyen-cung-hoi-hoa-post794611.html