Artist Dang Ai Viet: Preserving the portraits of Heroic Mothers through the strokes of time
WVR - From an old Chaly motorcycle, artist Dang Ai Viet has traveled over 200,000 km across various regions, sketching more than 3,600 portraits of Heroic Vietnamese Mothers. For her, each painting is a way to preserve historical memories and fulfill the wish to honor those who sacrificed for the nation.
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On the morning of October 16, the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association, in collaboration with artist and Labour Hero of the Doi Moi era Dang Ai Viet, inaugurated the exhibition of sketches and portraits of Heroic Vietnamese Mothers with the theme “Journey to Find Mother” at the Contemporary Art Space, Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association, Branch II, No. 1 Einstein, Thu Duc Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.
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| Delegates visit the “Journey to Find Mother” Exhibition. (Source: Organizing Committee) |
Attending the Exhibition were former President Nguyen Minh Triet, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Union Nguyen Thanh Loan, along with numerous artists and guests. Running from October 16 to 26, the Exhibition showcases 153 works, including 100 watercolor sketches of Heroic Vietnamese Mothers created since 2024, 5 oil paintings, and 48 prints from the portrait collection the artist donated to the Vietnam Women's Museum in 2024.
Each piece captures a face, a life tied to the sacrifices and losses of women during the war. Through this, the public has the opportunity to reflect on history through the stories and memories of witnesses.
Journey to find mother
The “Journey to Find Mother” Exhibition is part of the art project “Journey of Time's Strokes” by artist Dang Ai Viet, comprising three themes: “Portraits of Heroic Vietnamese Mothers”, “Portraits of Comrades”, and “Shared Trenches”. The first theme preserves the images of mothers who sent their loved ones to the battlefield, while the other two focus on comrades and witnesses who experienced the war.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, artist Dang Ai Viet shared that she began her journey of sketching portraits of Heroic Vietnamese Mothers on February 19, 2010, after three years of mourning her late husband, artist Pham Khac.
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| Artist Dang Ai Viet speaks at the “Journey to Find Mother” Exhibition. (Source: Organizing Committee) |
Alone on an old Chaly motorcycle, she carried her drawing tools and pension, traveling across provinces and cities to meet and sketch the portraits of the mothers. Over 16 years, she has traveled more than 200,000 km, crossing hundreds of passes and ferries to reach mothers in various regions.
To date, the artist has drawn over 3,600 portraits of Heroic Vietnamese Mothers and more than 310 portraits of People's Armed Forces Heroes. In 2010, 2011, and 2013, the Vietnam Records Organization and the Asia Records Organization recognized her as the first woman to use a motorcycle to travel across all 63 provinces and cities to sketch portraits of Heroic Vietnamese Mothers.
For artist Dang Ai Viet, this journey is tied to the wish to honor the deceased and historical witnesses. “I ride the old Chaly motorcycle alone, carrying my drawing tools and pension to fulfill the wish to 'repay life - repay the profession - repay the ancestors'”, she shared.
On each leg of the journey, meetings with the mothers and their families became profound memories for the artist. She recounted that some elderly mothers, with fading memories, sometimes mistook her for their child. At times, just sharing a meal with a mother or holding a hand that had grown cold brought her happiness.
Many families remain in contact, considering her a close member. These bonds provide motivation for the artist to continue her journey, despite advancing age and increasing difficulty in travel.
Each portrait is a tribute
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| Sketches and Portraits of Heroic Vietnamese Mothers. (Source: Organizing Committee) |
With 153 works, the Exhibition brings the public closer to historical stories through portraits and memories of a time of fire and smoke.
The sketches presented at the Exhibition were created by artist Dang Ai Viet following the “Heartfelt Tribute” event, commemorating the 77th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs' Day in 2024. The works depict the portraits of Heroic Vietnamese Mothers from Thanh Hoa to the southern provinces and cities.
Each stroke captures the traces of time on the mothers' faces, from their eyes and smiles to the wrinkles etched by the years. Each face evokes a story of sacrifice, courage, and love; about mothers who sent their husbands and children to the battlefield and quietly lived with the pain of loss.
For artist Dang Ai Viet, drawing portraits of Heroic Vietnamese Mothers is a “command from the heart”, and a way for her to fulfill her life ideals and contribute to the nation.
Each time she meets the mothers, she feels as if she is reliving the memories of war. “When I draw more than 3,000 Heroic Vietnamese Mothers, I immerse myself in the memories of the legendary war that our resilient Vietnamese nation bravely overcame amidst rain of bombs and storms of bullets”, she shared.
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| Some portraits of Heroic Vietnamese Mothers by artist Dang Ai Viet. (Source: Organizing Committee) |
According to Dr. Doan Minh Ngoc, Standing Member of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association, Head of the Theory and Art Education Department, Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts, the artist's creative journey requires perseverance, dedication, and great effort. The portraits also serve to remind younger generations of the tradition of “Drinking water, remember the source”, and gratitude to those who sacrificed for the country.
He noted that the Exhibition takes place as Ho Chi Minh City and the nation organize many activities to honor, search for, and gather the remains of martyrs, thereby reminding us of the value of peace and the sacrifices of previous generations.
Artist Dang Ai Viet was born in 1948 in Cai Lay, Tien Giang Province (now Dong Thap). At 15, she volunteered to go to the battlefield; in 1969, she joined the Communist Party of Vietnam. After the country's reunification, although she became a lecturer at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts, she still harbored the desire to honor Heroic Vietnamese Mothers through art. On February 19, 2010, at the age of 62, she began the “Journey of Time's Strokes”, traveling alone on a Chaly motorcycle to sketch the portraits of the mothers across various regions. After 16 years, with 7 trips to the North, 5 changes of motorcycles, and a journey of over 200,000 km, she has drawn more than 3,600 portraits of Heroic Vietnamese Mothers and over 310 portraits of People's Armed Forces Heroes. In 2021, she was awarded the title of Labor Hero of the Doi Moi era. |
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| Ao dai designer Sy Hoang congratulates artist Dang Ai Viet at the Exhibition. (Source: Organizing Committee) |
