Artist Duong Van Anh, Hoa Binh Province Photographic Artists Association won a silver medal with the work "Veterans of Dien Bien Phu meet on Hill A1".
Participating in the writing camp, she was assigned to work in Nam Po district - a remote area with many difficulties but rich in cultural identity. Ending the journey in Nam Po, Ms. Anh returned to Dien Bien Phu city, visiting Hill A1 - a historical site that has gone down in history. Here, she had a chance but extremely special meeting with war veterans - those who directly fought on this front during the Dien Bien Phu campaign. The war veterans were all over 90 years old. Through conversation, she heard stories about the battle with the most beautiful memories. In front of the French command bunker in the past, under the blazing sun, the location where the war veterans stood created a clear light and dark area for the photo. The medals on the war veterans' chests sparkled, and their smiles were hearty when the story reached its climax.
Capturing the perfect moment, Ms. Duong Van Anh shared: I used a wide-angle lens to take photos from a very close distance and from above. Emphasizing the facial expressions along with the achievements of the elders are the sparkling medals and awards. I feel very lucky to have captured this beautiful moment.
The work "The old Dien Bien veterans meet on Hill A1" was highly appreciated in the summary of the creative camp. Competing in the Artistic Photography Festival of 15 Northern mountainous provinces, the work not only won a gold medal but also created a deep emotional effect at the award ceremony. When the characters in the photo - the old veterans - were present at the exhibition, interacting with the organizers, judges, art council and many authors from 15 provinces in the photo festival and exhibition in Dien Bien.
Not stopping at the regional level, she continued to submit her works to the National Art Photography Contest in 2024. Among more than 9,500 works by 1,373 authors from 63 provinces and cities nationwide, the Art Council established by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, including prestigious photographers, selected 250 works by 194 authors to display at the exhibition, of which 33 excellent works were awarded, including 3 gold medals, 6 silver medals, 8 bronze medals and 15 consolation prizes. Once again, the work "Old Dien Bien War Veterans Meet on Hill A1" was awarded a silver medal in the realism category of the contest.
In addition, the work was also highly appreciated and won second prize in the Golden Moment contest organized by Vietnam News Agency; bronze medal in the 2024 Excellent Photography Award of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists.
Ms. Anh shared: The award is not the final destination, but the journey of emotions and connections between the artist and the character, between photography and history, between the beauty of art and the value of national memory. My work is like a gift of gratitude to the war veterans.
As one of the outstanding female artists of the Association of Photographic Artists of Hoa Binh Province, Ms. Duong Van Anh has won many awards in domestic photography competitions. However, the work "The old Dien Bien veterans meet on Hill A1" is a special milestone in her creative career, not only because of its artistic value but also because the work has contributed to portraying the spirit of Dien Bien through images.
Manh Cuong
Source: https://baohoabinh.com.vn/16/200869/Nguoi-ke-chuyen-Dien-Bien-Phu-bang-anh.htm
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