Talented painter
Artist Tran Huu Thanh was born in 1942, in Quang Xuong (Thanh Hoa). He worked as a worker in Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Zone. In 1966, he took the entrance exam to Viet Bac Fine Arts School. Three years later he graduated. During his studies, he participated in collaborative drawing with a number of newspapers in the genres of illustration, caricature, criticism, criticism... In 1970, he joined the army, in 1981 he transferred work. transferred to the People's Public Security force until retirement.
Talking about his work memories during this period, he emotionally recounted: With his inherent skills, when he joined the army, he specialized in propaganda work. In 1971, he participated in the Route 9 Southern Laos campaign. After the campaign, he was sent to Quang Binh to participate in a victory propaganda exhibition about this campaign. After April 30, 1975, the 3rd Army Corps held a military parade at Dong Du base.
To serve the parade, he was assigned to draw a propaganda painting with the image of Uncle Ho as the center amidst the scene of workers, farmers and soldiers gathered around him, and many propaganda paintings for the day's theme. Liberation of the South. In May 1975, he was again assigned to paint a large oil painting with the theme "Like having Uncle Ho on the happy day of liberation" displayed in the grounds of the Independence Palace.
In 1981, due to family circumstances, the artist left the army and returned to work at the propaganda department of the Department of Political Work, Ministry of Home Affairs (now the Ministry of Public Security). Fresh off his feet, he was assigned to participate in a large-scale exhibition, combining the two police and military forces, held at Giang Vo exhibition center,
with the theme "For Homeland Security". .
In 1984, he was assigned by the Ministry of Public Security to participate in an exhibition celebrating the 30th anniversary of Dien Bien Liberation Day with the theme of Police Work in this historic campaign. In 1985, he was assigned by the leader of the Department of Political Work to organize the exhibition of 40 years of protecting the Revolutionary government (1945 - 1985) at the Van Ho Exhibition Center. It was a heavy task and left him with many profound memories.
Once associated with Lao Dong Newspaper
There was a period that left many warm memories for artist Tran Huu Thanh: after graduating from the course at Viet Bac Fine Arts School, he returned to work at Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Zone and continued to work with other artists. newspapers, especially Lao Dong Newspaper.
He collaborated with Lao Dong Newspaper from the time Mr. Tran Nhat Du was Editor-in-Chief and when Mr. Nguyen Xuan Cang became Editor-in-Chief, he became even more deeply attached. He was close to artist Trinh Lap, painter Chu Thao, poet Nguyen Thi Hue, editor Duc Chi...
Especially with Editor-in-Chief Nguyen Xuan Cang, artist Tran Huu Thanh is close to writer Xuan Cang since they worked together at Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Zone. The artist recalled fondly that writer Xuan Cang was famous from his time as Head of the Propaganda Department of the Iron and Steel Zone, to the time he worked for the Lao Dong Newspaper, his reputation rose to fame, especially during the reform period.
Writer Xuan Cang advised him that since he was committed to the artistic path, he should focus his energy and youth on writing. Because he listened to the writer, he focused on creative activities. He got married late, in 1963 he started falling in love and it wasn't until 1970, four days before he left to join the army to go to the Southern battlefield, that he got married.
Leaving the army to work at the Ministry of Public Security, he continued to collaborate with Lao Dong Newspaper. House number 51 Hang Bo has become a close relationship with him, because he often comes to send his works and every year he is invited to attend meetings with collaborators.
For each newspaper he worked for, he used different writing methods and content, but the deepest impression was the period he cooperated with Lao Dong Newspaper. When General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh initiated: Things that need to be done immediately, taking the people first, eliminating subsidies... are also passionate topics and suitable for his writing style. Sometimes he brought 3-4 paintings to the editorial office. When they arrived, the editorial office accepted them all and scheduled them to be published gradually.
At that time, printing techniques were still backward, artists had to draw with ink on polyurethane paper. Each painting is a work of creativity and technical presentation.
Perhaps the painting works of artist Tran Huu Thanh from 1963 to 2003, more than 50 years of continuously holding a brush, have affirmed his name in the Vietnamese painting industry.
During that journey of more than half a century of writing, there was a period of many warm memories with Lao Dong Newspaper and the address 51 Hang Bo .
