A handwritten letter of Mai Van Hien (Vietnam, 1923-2006) to Boi Tran (Vietnam, B. 1957) and Boi Tran Art Gallery in 1998.
"Hanoi, 3 April 1998
Dear Boi Tran Art Gallery,
After a while away from Hanoi, I received a letter of invitation to the grand opening of the art gallery when returning home. Heartfelt appreciation. I am sorry not to be able to attend this special occasion. Here’s wishing you success and prosperity in your art business and future endeavours, and I hope the gallery will cooperate and work side by side with a humbled semi skilled and below average painter who, 60 years ago (not so many), was trained and educated in a city of exquisite sceneries and graceful people, Hue.
The logo
Simple yet elegant
Respectfully
(signed)
Mai Van Hien”
THE CREATION OF A “NATIONAL REVOLUTIONARY PAINTING” TRADITION
Mai Van Hien (Vietnam, 1923-2006), born in My Tho, Tien Giang, was a graduated student of Class XVII (1943-1945) at the École des Beaux-Arts. He was admitted to the school in Hanoi in 1943, together with Mai Van Nam, Nguyen Tho, Le Thanh Duc, Than Trong Su, and Pham Tang,…
Portrait of Mai Van Hien (Vietnam, 1923-2006)
Later, in August 1945, he took part in the revolution during the resistance war against the French before the August Revolution. Additionally, along with Mai Van Nam, Ta Thuc Binh, Vinh Son, Le Pho, Kim Dong, Phan Nhat, Nguyen Tu Nghiem, Ton Duc Luong, Nguyen Van Thien and Phan Ke An, he joined the Viet Minh as part of the Central Cultural Association. They were tasked with drawing anti-colonial caricatures on the walls of French-occupied territories like Bac Ninh. A seemingly passive form of attack, they had such an effect on the French army that the walls were destroyed.
Left to right: Mai Van Hien (Vietnam, 1923-2006), Unknown, Bui Xuan Phai (Vietnam, 1920-1988)
During the time, to serve the agitprop campaigns, Mai Van Hien depicted plenty of propaganda artworks. During the period between November 1945 and March 1946, in company with Nguyen Do Cung, Nguyen Sang and Nguyen Van Khanh, Mai Van Hien was assigned to sketch the first banknote for the government of Vietnam by Finance Minister Pham Van Dong (later Prime Minister during 1955-1976).
The first banknote for the government of Vietnam, 1945.
