Literature and art are closely linked to the people.

Seminar on 50 years of Vietnamese literature and arts after national reunification - Photo: VNA

National scientific conference on 50 years of Vietnamese literature and art after national reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025) - Issues raised and development orientations received enthusiastic contributions from artists, researchers, and managers nationwide.

The workshop was organized by the Central Propaganda and Education Commission, Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences on the afternoon of April 18 in Hanoi.

At the workshop, delegates assessed the current situation, forecasted development trends; proposed tasks and solutions for developing Vietnamese literature and art in the new era.

50 years of worthy succession

In his opening speech, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duy Bac - permanent deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics - affirmed that the Communist Party of Vietnam always pays attention to literature and art.

Party documents at each congress have emphasized the important role of literature and art. The Party always respects and encourages the creative team of artists, while placing high demands on ideology, humanity, nationalism and humanity in each work.

Mr. Bac assessed that looking back over the past 50 years, it can be seen that the country's literature and arts have worthily inherited the tradition of "patriotism and humanity, closely attached to the people and nation".

During the period 1975-1986, literature and art contributed to healing the wounds of war, fostering faith and arousing the desire to build a new life.

Entering the period 1986-2000, along with the country's comprehensive renovation, literature and art really had strong innovations in thinking, content and expression methods.

From the inspiration of epics and revolutionary heroism, literature and art have shifted to comprehensively exploring social life, personal life, and human destiny in its multidimensional and complex nature. The appearance of literature and art is rich in themes, topics, ideological content, and forms of expression.

Many works are deeply critical, demonstrating professional qualities, civic awareness and innovation in artistic thinking, diverse in trends, writing styles, and tones.

Since 2000, literature and art have not only expanded their creative space but also changed the nature of their expression methods.

Besides traditional artistic creations that are preserved and promoted, many new art forms have emerged. Online literature, online movies, multimedia art... show new forms of expression, reflecting the spirit of the digital age, digital culture, and digital society.

In that flow, there have appeared works of exploratory and experimental nature, which have been welcomed and responded to by audiences at home and abroad.

Regarding the achievements of literature and art 50 years after the country's reunification, critic Ngo Thao cited the cases of books by Nguyen Nhat Anh and several other authors, each time hundreds of thousands of copies were released, several films by Tran Thanh earned 400 - 500 billion VND, some singers had tens of thousands of viewers each time they held shows... He regretted that such numbers were still too rare.

The Blue Eyes by writer Nguyen Nhat Anh is in the top 10 nominees for outstanding literary works of Ho Chi Minh City in the poll of the top 50 outstanding works in many fields of Ho Chi Minh City.

Artists must reach out to the people.

The workshop also pointed out the remaining aspects and limitations of literature and art after 50 years of national reunification, raising many urgent issues for the management, creation, theory, criticism and dissemination of literary and artistic works.

Contemporary literature and art still lack works of high ideological and artistic value, commensurate with the stature of the Renovation process, and not commensurate with the cultural and historical depth of the nation.

Regarding the artists, there is currently a clear generation gap. The generation of artists who have become famous does not have a good successor. The young generation, although dynamic, creative, and quick to adapt to new things, lacks depth of experience.

Regarding the mechanism and policies for developing literature and art, practice shows that there is a significant lag between the policies and practices of strong development of literature and art.

Head of the Central Propaganda and Education Commission Nguyen Trong Nghia speaks at the conference - Photo: VNA

The solution, according to Dr. Nguyen Duy Bac, is to develop a team of talented, dedicated and courageous artists. At the same time, ensure a free, democratic and healthy creative environment, encourage the spirit of innovation, experimentation, and attachment to the regime, life and people.

Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission Nguyen Trong Nghia, in his concluding remarks at the conference, once again affirmed that it is necessary to continue raising awareness of the position, role and mission of literature and art in the new era.

Clearly identify literature and art as very important, especially delicate fields of culture; as essential needs, expressing the human aspiration for truth, goodness, and beauty; as one of the great driving forces directly contributing to building the spiritual foundation of society, the comprehensive development of Vietnamese people...

In management, it is necessary to pay attention to the specificity of literature and art; respect and ensure the right to freedom of creation, arouse and strongly promote the desire to contribute and the creative capacity of artists. Pay attention to orienting and improving the level and aesthetic perception capacity of the public, especially the young generation.

As for the artists, we need to stick closer to and immerse ourselves in the vivid reality of the country, deeply explain and interpret new and important issues of life, and strive to create more attractive works that are profound in ideological content and new in form.

Mr. Nghia emphasized that artists need to reach out to the people and proactively serve the people in their creations. Because it is the people who determine the lasting vitality of literary and artistic works.

Multiple values ​​restored

Critic Ngo Thao noted that one of the achievements of literary and artistic management 50 years after the country's reunification was the restoration of many values ​​that were once banned.

Over the past decades, along with the opening up and acceptance of different international values, many literary and artistic works before the August Revolution in 1945, or works in Hanoi during the French occupation, works by Vietnamese people abroad, many types of folk culture and spiritual culture have been restored and even developed.

Over the past 50 years, we have also preserved the diverse assets of the cultural ecosystems of the ethnic groups in the community.

Keep the writer's "ego" in the flesh and blood of the people

Professor Phong Le said that today, literature and art are shifting historical responsibility to the 8X and 9X generations. This is the generation for whom war and subsidies are only a flashback through the memories of relatives and books.

They enjoy a different atmosphere, so they can be absolutely assured to find their own, their own individuality, their own difference. They are no longer entangled by the "I" or "us" like many generations of their fathers and grandfathers, and are free to create.

But according to Professor Phong Le, young people must maintain their own identity without clashing, conflicting or opposing the community. Communities such as the Fatherland, the people, and those who bear the name or represent themselves as writers and artists still need and need more and more attachment.

"As someone who witnessed and participated to some extent in the literary journey of the past 20th century, I long to see their appearance as an elite and powerful team, very different in style but still not blurring the common aspiration of the people and the nation...", Professor Phong Le expressed.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/van-hoc-nghe-thuat-gan-bo-mau-thit-voi-nhan-dan-20250419092037169.htm