Literary and artistic activities in the early days of liberation

Musician Lan Phong (standing) conducts the Liberation Art Troupe to play the song "Liberating the South". Photo: Archive

New vitality

Recalling the impression of the day of takeover, painter Truong Cham - a member of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, one of the veteran artists of the province who grew up during the resistance war, recounted: On the morning of May 2, 1975, over 5,000 colored woodcuts, 25x30cm in size with the contents: "In the barbed wire of pacification", "Throwing guns back to the people", "Love of people of all countries", "Dong Khoi to change life", "Holding guns to liberate the homeland", "Uncle is marching with us", "Building liberated areas", "Forward to complete victory, we will surely be on our side" were posted everywhere in the inner city, on all the streets, in all public places, creating a colorful atmosphere, some people had to exclaim: "It is true that Ben Tre town took over with paintings". In addition, there were dozens of 2x3m panels erected everywhere at all the city's three-way and four-way intersections. More specifically, there are 3 portraits of Uncle Ho, 3x4m in size, hung solemnly on 3 sides at the town roundabout, now the An Hoi roundabout.

These are the special and memorable marks of the province's literature and art in the special moment of the homeland. After liberation, the province advocated quickly transferring literary and artistic activities from wartime to peacetime to serve the immediate tasks. Besides promoting the mass cultural and artistic movement, the elimination of reactionary culture and art - the remnants of neo-colonialism in the province was strongly and resolutely promoted.

The cultural, artistic and sports movements at this time were widespread, enthusiastic, had good and healthy content and were widely participated by the masses. In the context of a lack of material life and difficulties causing anxiety in a part of the masses, it was thanks to the revolutionary cultural activities organized and led by the Party that brought the people a new source of joy, a comfortable vitality in cultural life. Thanks to that, a number of requirements for revolutionary cultural and sports activities were initially met in time, so the influence of the enslaving and reactionary culture of neo-colonialism was pushed back, the cultural and spiritual life of the people was healthier and more progressive than before.

After more than 1 year of liberation, the Party Committee and people of the province have completed the task of stabilizing security and order, restoring economic production, cultural and social activities, stabilizing people's lives as a premise for continued development in the following years.

By 1979, with active efforts to overcome difficulties and apply scientific and technological advances, the people of the province solved the problem of food shortages, invested more in basic construction than before, and promoted cultural and social activities. At this time, culture and arts developed vigorously and strongly. In hamlets and villages, mass art teams were established and operated vigorously, attracting a large number of people to participate. Art troupes and film teams went to rural areas and revolutionary bases to serve the people.

Grassroots culture and arts develop strongly

In December 1979, the Second Provincial Party Congress assessed the achievements of the first term after liberation as well as frankly acknowledged the limitations, difficulties and shortcomings that still needed to be overcome. In particular, it was assessed that cultural activities, along with education and health care, lacked facilities and staff. The situation of building new rural areas, building new people as well as cultural lifestyles was still slow and had not yet become a movement, social order was still complicated, and negative phenomena in economic and social activities still occurred.

Implementing the Resolution of the 2nd Provincial Party Congress, the Provincial Party Committee and people continued to strive to overcome difficulties, stabilize security and order for socio-economic development. Cultural and artistic activities during this period also continued to develop more than before. Cultural houses, clubs, and libraries were established in districts and communes. The province's art troupes organized performances in many places inside and outside the province.

During this period, the Provincial Party Committee issued Resolution No. 19 dated May 15, 1984, providing important directions for the province's cultural and social activities. In 1984, the province had 20 cinema units, 4 cinemas, 5 professional art troupes, and many agencies, enterprises, and communes and wards had amateur art troupes. However, during this period, many rural communes in remote areas, resistance base areas, and coastal communes had many difficulties and shortages in material and spiritual life, and cultural and social activities did not meet the minimum needs of the people.

In 1980, the Nguyen Dinh Chieu Literature and Arts Association was established, creating the premise and legal basis for the provincial artists to continue to develop and mature under the leadership of the Party and the management of the State, ensuring the correct orientation and direction of the Party Resolution, in order to reap increasingly high literary and artistic achievements, effectively serving the cause of building and defending the Fatherland of the provincial artists.

“In the post-liberation period, the socio-economic situation was still difficult, but it was also a time when many demands were placed on literary and artistic activities when the people's spiritual needs were extremely strong. The Liberation Art Troupe, which later split into the Song and Dance Troupe and the Ben Tre Cai Luong Art Troupe (in 1978), often went to the grassroots to perform for the community. At the same time, it also trained and instructed schools, units, and localities in revolutionary songs.”

(Musician Lan Phong - former Director of the Provincial Cultural Center,
Member of Vietnam Musicians Association)

T. Dong

Source: https://baodongkhoi.vn/hoat-dong-van-hoc-nghe-thuat-nhung-ngay-dau-giai-phong-19032025-a143898.html