Propaganda art and national life in propaganda paintings

On October 16, in Hanoi, the Vietnam Press Museum (Vietnam Journalists Association) in collaboration with the Institute of Journalism and Communication (University of Social Sciences and Humanities) organized a seminar and exhibition on the topic: Propaganda art and national life in propaganda paintings.

Propaganda paintings are a genre of Vietnamese visual arts, with easy-to-understand, clear, and convincing content; with generalization, aesthetics, and intuition. In the history of our country's revolution, since its inception, propaganda paintings have quickly become an effective artistic means contributing to conveying the Party and State's guidelines, lines, and policies to all classes of people.

Speaking at the Seminar, Journalist Ho Quang Loi, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, said that, like the press, the messages that propaganda paintings carry are always relevant in our time today and certainly this will continue to be a genre of paintings that can strongly arouse the creativity of artists in the process of approaching the public and penetrating social life. Therefore, journalists and propaganda painters always make us think of soldiers on the propaganda front, taking the lead in reflecting current issues and having a direct and strong impact on the life of the country.

Representatives of the Vietnam Journalists Association received paintings and souvenirs donated by journalist Nguyen Dang Tien. (Photo: HT)

Journalist Ho Quang Loi also welcomed the Vietnam Press Museum, although it has only been established for more than 3 months and has a heavy task, it has been proactive, active in researching and being creative in organizing the event to receive the Collection of 1010 propaganda paintings painstakingly collected and donated by Journalist Nguyen Dang Tien. "The organization of this Discussion and Exhibition will help us and the public to have more confidence in the power of propaganda art in propaganda paintings and in the press as well as many other media" - Journalist Ho Quang Loi affirmed.

At the Seminar, the delegates' presentations affirmed that in Vietnam, propaganda paintings are closely associated with the struggle for liberation and protection of national independence. Since its inception, propaganda paintings have played a great role, effectively serving the political tasks and lives of the people.

Associate Professor, Dr. Dang Thi Thu Huong, Director of the Institute of Journalism and Communication (University of Social Sciences and Humanities) said that since the 1920s, Leader Nguyen Ai Quoc had drawn propaganda paintings in the newspaper Nguoi cung kho published in France to spread and encourage the poor to understand and unite in the struggle. In 1941, Nguyen Ai Quoc returned to the country and established the Viet Minh Front with the mouthpiece of the newspaper Viet Nam Doc Lap. On this newspaper, the words "Viet Nam Doc Lap" were drawn by Nguyen Ai Quoc as a Vietnamese person wearing a hat and blowing a trumpet, accompanied by four easy-to-understand verses, calling on everyone to unite to save the country. Since then, propaganda paintings have been present and associated with the movement to protect the country.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Dang Thi Thu Huong, propaganda paintings are both artistic, topical, and propagandistic, and hidden deep within them is a very strong journalistic character. Art paintings are often intended for a specific audience, with the ability to perceive and are often unique, but propaganda paintings can be replicated a lot to promote widely to the public. The language in art paintings can only be felt and absorbed by a group of people. As for propaganda paintings, everyone looks directly at and feels them directly. Propaganda paintings follow major events of the country and convey strong messages to encourage people to carry out political and social tasks. Therefore, propaganda paintings have many similarities with journalism.

The public visits the exhibition of propaganda paintings. (Photo: HT)

Researcher Ta Thu Phong said that throughout the journey of journalism through the two resistance wars against French colonialism and American imperialism, propaganda posters were always exploited by newspapers from the central to local levels to serve propaganda work. In newspapers such as Nhan Dan, Van Nghe, Lao Dong, Phu Nu, there were always propaganda posters against the destructive war of American imperialism, supporting the South, and encouraging the movements of "good people, good deeds", "three readiness", "three responsibilities", the brave spirit and achievements of soldiers on the battlefields, the whole people competing in labor production...

In the face of major events and issues of society and the country, propaganda paintings speak up on their own, demonstrating their vanguard role on the propaganda front. In the recent fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, propaganda paintings have fulfilled their mission well in propagating and mobilizing people to join hands in preventing the disease. This demonstrates the strong vitality of this painting genre.

Mr. Nguyen Dang Tien, former General Director of the Voice of Vietnam - the person who donated 1010 propaganda paintings to the Vietnam Press Museum shared: "Propaganda paintings have been closely associated with the fighting life, production and labor and entered the subconscious of millions of soldiers and compatriots; at the same time, they are a strong mark of important historical events of the country and the nation. That is why I have sent to the Press Museum 1010 propaganda paintings collected over the past 20 years so that the public can read the history of the country through emotional paintings".

Within the framework of the event, the Organizing Committee also displayed more than 200 propaganda paintings selected from 1010 propaganda paintings donated by Mr. Nguyen Dang Tien to the Vietnam Press Museum. The exhibition took place at the Vietnam Press Museum, Duong Dinh Nghe Street, Cau Giay, Hanoi.

According to Communist Party of Vietnam Electronic Newspaper