At 9:30 AM on Friday, April 11, 2025, the opening ceremony of the special exhibition “Huỳnh Phương Đông’s Journey” will take place at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum. The event is organized by the museum in collaboration with the Vietnam Fine Arts Association and the family of soldier-painter Huỳnh Phương Đông, marking the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 – April 30, 2025) and the 100th birthday of Huỳnh Phương Đông (April 22, 1925 – April 22, 2025). This is the largest-scale exhibition ever held for Huỳnh Phương Đông, showcasing 151 of his most outstanding works.

Fifty years — half a century — have passed since the complete liberation of the South, unifying the country. The marks of this great resistance war are not only engraved in the glorious pages of history but also live on in soul-stirring works of art. Amid the fierce battlefield, soldier-painter Huỳnh Phương Đông devoted his youth to painting the heroic chapters of the nation. Using charcoal, paintbrushes, on rough paper or any materials found in the warzone, he captured the resilient spirit and courageous sacrifices of his comrades through both resistance wars and in times of peace during national reconstruction. These sketches later became precious documentation and formed the foundation for his monumental oil paintings, recreating historic battles such as the Battle of Chu Y Bridge and the Liberation of Lộc Ninh.

With over 70 years of tireless creativity, Huỳnh Phương Đông left behind a valuable legacy of thousands of artworks, focusing on the themes of people and landscapes, with revolutionary war being the most prominent.

The organizers hope the exhibition will be like a slow-motion film, bringing veteran soldiers back to their heroic years, reviving unforgettable memories through every bold line and solid form—symbols of the indomitable spirit of the Vietnamese people. At the same time, the exhibition offers today’s younger generation a chance to feel the value of peace, appreciate the silent sacrifices of past generations, and continue the noble traditions of the nation.

The exhibition is open to the public from April 11 to May 2, 2025, at floors 1 and 2, Building B, Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, No. 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.
Some featured works in the exhibition include: