The teachers at the school were also talented artists from the Indochina Fine Arts generation: serious and dedicated individuals such as Tran Van Can, Luong Xuan Nhi, Sy Ngoc, Nguyen Tien Chung, Trong Hop, Nguyen Van Ty and Pham Van Don. All of these factors likely contributed to creating a vibrant and inspiring artistic environment. Afterward, Phung Pham longed to return to school to continue learning. He passed the entrance exam for the 9th intake (1965 - 1970) at the Vietnam College of Fine Arts, but then dropped out after two years for unknown reasons. During that period, it is not unusual for art students to be suspended and expelled from school. In an education setting that solely adheres to the Socialist Realism approach, individuals with creative, distinctive, and unconventional traits might face certain challenges.

In addition, the question of “personal background” was also a problem in society. Individuals were scrutinized intensively. It seems that Phung Pham was caught up in these phenomena. However, he remained silent, sometimes whispering to himself, “I am a landlord’s son, and my brother Phung Cung was involved in the Nhan Van Giai Pham affairs” [4]. In order to survive, Phung Pham took a paid job at an animation studio after graduation. He patiently stayed there for over ten years while keeping his head down to pursue his passion for drawing at home.

In the College of Fine Arts, students acquaint themselves with the fundamental aspects of drawing. Additionally, they practice various techniques such as oil painting, silk painting, lacquer painting, and graphic techniques like woodblock print and lithography, depending on their own inclinations. Phung Pham studied them all, but he seemed to have a special affinity for woodblock graphics. During wartime, art supplies were scarce, resources were limited, paints and cloth were scant and materials for lacquer painting were expensive. Thus, a piece of woodblock and ink proved to be the most convenient and accessible path to create an artwork, allowing the artist much freedom and flexibility to explore and experiment. Moreover, it is very possible that Phung Pham’s straightforward personality and coherent thought also played a role in drawing him closer to woodblock graphics. There, only black and white colors exist, clearly and uncompromisingly, with lines as the commanding element. In this way, Phung Pham diligently engaged in his practice, gradually becoming a prominent figure in the field of modern woodblock graphics in Vietnam.

Bui Nhu Huong
Art Researcher and Critic

written in March 2023

[1] The Central Campus was an educational and training institution of Vietnam, established on October 1, 1951, in Nanning, China. The infrastructure and logistics were supported and sponsored by the Chinese government and people, while the Vietnamese were responsible for teaching. The first director was Mr. Vo Thuan Nho, who later became the Deputy Minister of Education. During that period, it can be said that the education system there was quite comprehensive and of high quality, both in theory and practice. Many students later became renowned artists, or individuals holding high positions in the Party and State agencies.

[2] Artist Nguyen Khang (1911-89), a graduate of the 6th class of the Indochina College of Fine Arts. From 1951 to 1957, he taught drawing at the Central Campus in Nanning, China. Later, from 1962 to 1974, he served as the Principal of the Hanoi College of Industrial Fine Arts.

[3] Vietnam College of Fine Arts, established in 1957, is now the Vietnam University of Fine Arts, located at 42 Yet Kieu Street, Hanoi.

[4] The “Nhan Van Giai Pham” Movement (1955-1958) involved a circle of intellectuals and artists who collaborated to write articles for the newspaper “Nhan Van” (Humanities) and the magazine “Giai Pham” (Fine works of Art) in Hanoi. They criticized certain shortcomings and mistakes of the Party while advocating for freedom and democracy in artistic creation. After the movement was suspended, those involved in the “Nhan Van Giai Pham” group were compelled to engage in self-criticism, acknowledge their mistakes, and undergo “re-education” through labor and study of socialist ideology. Some faced administrative sanctions and imprisonment, including Phung Cung.

After the “Doi Moi” policy (Renovation and Openness) in 1986, their status was gradually restored. Some individuals were awarded the Ho Chi Minh Prize and the State Prize for Literature and Art. These included Van Cao, Bui Xuan Phai, Tran Duc Thao, Dao Duy Anh, Nguyen Sang, Si Ngoc, Nguyen Tu Nghiem, and Duong Bich Lien…