Chu Thao
Chu Thao (b. 1945, Hanoi, Vietnam) graduated from the Faculty of Graphic Art at the University of Applied Arts in 1967, and later from the Vietnam University of Fine Arts in 1981. During his years working on the battlefield (1969–1975), in addition to his professional role as a reporter for Lao Động newspaper, he devoted himself to painting – documenting the realities of war through numerous sketches and works on the theme of revolutionary struggle.
Working across various media – from watercolor and graphite to colored pencil – Chu Thao vividly captured scenes of soldiers, the home front, and everyday life during wartime with a simplicity and emotional depth that transcend mere documentation. His wartime sketches stand not only as invaluable historical records but also as expressions of the humanistic spirit and quiet resilience of an artist creating amid conflict.
His works have been published in numerous art journals and are now housed in the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum, and the War Remnants Museum, serving as living witnesses to one of the most turbulent and defining chapters in Vietnam’s modern history.
Studio Visit with Chu Thao
In this interview video, Chu Thao reflects on his studies at the University of Arts and Design, Hanoi as well as his military marching to Southern Vietnam in 1969 as opportunities to hone his skills in the arts. As an artist and journalist on the battlefield, Chu Thao has sketched portraits of numerous soldiers and civilians in the Truong Son, Mekong Delta, and Cambodian regions. Through these works, the artist discusses the value of immediacy as well as the ability to convey the spirit and preserve memories in his war sketches.
This video is part of a series of interviews by Nguyễn Art Foundation.