Representatives of the Department of Culture and Sports and Hue Museum of Fine Arts presented flowers and a certificate to Mr. Le Trung Hung.
son of sculptor - painter Le Thanh Nhon

Consider Hue as second home

When it comes to sculptor Le Thanh Nhon, not only Hue artists but the whole country knows him for his talent and “creative spirit”. Hue is fortunate to have many works by this sculptor, and this time his family from Australia, traveling thousands of kilometers, returned to Hue to continue to present 3 of his works: “Nameless” (oil on canvas, size 61x51cm), “Ceramic vase” (ceramic, size 50x35x35cm), “Statue of Shakyamuni Buddha” (plaster, size 61x51cm). All were presented to the Hue Museum of Fine Arts.

The Southern sculptor had a deep affection for Hue, and loved Hue in his own way. Therefore, his wish to donate his work to the land that he had fallen in love with remained with him until the end of his life, and was entrusted to his family. The son of sculptor Le Thanh Nhon - Mr. Le Trung Hung, with his "sufficient" Vietnamese, before donating the work to the Hue Museum of Fine Arts, told about his father's last years, his plans, and especially his love for Hue. Mr. Hung said that during his lifetime, his father considered Hue his second hometown, after his birthplace of Binh Duong.

Mr. Le Trung Hung, son of sculptor - painter Le Thanh Nhon (left) presents the statue of "Buddha Shakyamuni" to the Hue Museum of Fine Arts.

In addition to teaching at the Hue College of Fine Arts (now the University of Arts, Hue University), he participated in the committee for erecting statues of famous Vietnamese people established by intellectuals and lecturers of Hue Fine Arts, with Associate Professor - Painter Vinh Phoi as the head of the committee and Professor Tran Viet Ngac as the general secretary. Although his stay in Hue was not long, he contributed to training many sculptors in Hue, was honored by friends, colleagues, and generations of students as a devoted teacher, an example of artistic labor, and left Hue with lifetime works of art. It is worth mentioning that there are three outstanding, massive and magnificent works: the bronze statue of Phan Boi Chau, the statue of the Vietnamese Girl, and the statue of Quan The Am. All three are located on Le Loi Street along the lyrical Huong River, contributing to creating highlights for the land containing many layers of cultural sediments and adding to the beauty of the poetic Huong River.

The attraction of Hue for artists

“On this occasion, when I donate three of my father's works to the Hue Museum of Fine Arts, it means that my father will be present in the Hue Museum of Fine Arts, and will forever be the spiritual child of Hue as he wished before he passed away,” the son of the famous sculptor shared emotionally.

Researcher Nguyen Xuan Hoa (former Director of the Department of Culture and Information of Thua Thien Hue) said that he knew sculptor Le Thanh Nhon more than 50 years ago. At that time, Mr. Nhon aspired to make many statues of famous people to launch a patriotic movement. “It can be said that sculptor Le Thanh Nhon is very attached to Hue, is a phenomenon, the attraction of Hue for artists. And not only the statues he gave to Hue before, this time when the works were brought back by his children to donate to the Hue Museum of Fine Arts, it once again affirmed his love for this land,” Mr. Hoa shared.

Receiving the works from the son of sculptor Le Thanh Nhon, Ms. Dinh Thi Hoai Trai - Director of Hue Fine Arts Museum said that it was an honor, a great joy and an important meaning for the museum in the work of preserving, conserving, displaying and introducing the life and career of sculptor - painter Le Thanh Nhon to the public at home and abroad. "Along with the statues of Phan Boi Chau, Vietnamese Girl and Quan The Am being placed in solemn positions on Le Loi Street, many generations will forever cherish and be grateful for the contributions of sculptor - painter Le Thanh Nhon as well as Mr. Le Trung Hung's family to Hue", Ms. Trai confided.

Sculptor - painter Le Thanh Nhon was born in 1940 in Thu Dau Mot, Binh Duong. After 1975, he settled in Australia until his death in 2002. He graduated as valedictorian of the sculpture department at the Saigon - Gia Dinh Fine Arts College in 1963 and became a lecturer at the school. During the years 1970 - 1975, he taught and created works in many places in the Central region, including the Hue College of Fine Arts (now the University of Arts, Hue University).


Article and photos: NHAT MINH

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/them-lan-nua-le-thanh-nhon-tro-ve-hue-than-yeu-152214.html