About Dien Bien, see historical paintings

Ngo Huong Sen - VietnamAirlines Heritage

More than 2 years after its inauguration, the panoramic picture of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign has become a highlight, attracting a large number of people to the Dien Bien Phu Historical Victory Museum in particular and Dien Bien province in general. Everyone wants to see the picture with their own eyes, to feel the realistic and vivid images of the battle 70 years ago. The whole people go to battle; The majestic prelude; The historical confrontation and the triumphant song celebrating the Dien Bien victory are the 4 segments of the picture recording a series of events that took place, expressed through a fresh, smooth, flexible visual language between the arts of sculpture, relief, installation, display... creating an attractive 3D effect. Viewers seem to witness the continuous events, the heroic historical moments of the nation. This work is 32m long, 42m in diameter, the highest dome is 20.5m, spread over a surface of more than 3,225m², with the appearance of more than 4,500 characters, which according to Mr. Nguyen Van Mac: "no character is the same as any other character", from French soldiers to laborers, from the cart to every patch of land, tree, blade of grass... The painting Dien Bien Phu Campaign is the result of a process, the production team has researched a huge amount of documents. After many field trips, examining thousands of photos, reading countless books and meeting countless witnesses, the authors were able to produce a complete sketch.

The idea of a panorama of the legendary campaign was formed right from the construction of the Dien Bien Phu Historical Victory Museum. However, the implementation of this work of art was not simple. Foreign experts were invited, including experts from Russia - a powerhouse of panorama paintings - but could not find a common voice. "Foreigners cannot fully understand our history, they cannot feel everything, from the color of the soil, space, time, the things that have permeated every Vietnamese person about the heroic history of the nation", Mr. Nguyen Van Mac said silently. It took 9 years for the project, from the first sketch in 2013, to the second sketch, which was also 100m long, without knowing whether it would be selected or not. The entire team joined in with an immeasurable love for Dien Bien and pride in the historical tradition of the nation. The group of young artists are all aware that they are doing a lifetime job, experiencing the country's history in a special and rare way. 2019 was the milestone year for the groundbreaking, but then the Covid-19 pandemic hit, facing many complications and difficulties, fortunately the painting was still completed on schedule and received more than expected, becoming an attractive tourism product of Dien Bien province.

It has been a long time since there has been a vivid work of art, although it recreates memories, it is still a part of life in Dien Bien. Experts and the public have acknowledged and praised the artistic, cultural, historical and humanistic values of this special work.

The panoramic picture of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign is a testament to the effective investment in culture and art. The work is done, the mission is completed, but Mr. Nguyen Van Mac still regularly returns to Dien Bien, especially as the 70th anniversary of the victory that "resounded throughout the five continents and shook the world" approaches. "Supervise and check the work to see if there are any damages or problems so that we can fix them in time. Moreover, like a woman raising a young child, who never dares to take her eyes off her child, the work in Dien Bien is like our brainchild, our flesh and blood, always on our mind", Mr. Nguyen Van Mac emotionally shared.