Ngo Huong Sen

“There were flights, all carrying passengers from the South who bought tickets to the museum to admire the painting, see the details up close, take pictures, and call their families. They seemed very excited,” enthused Mr. Nguyen Van Mac, a representative of the Design and Construction Unit of the largest panoramic painting in Vietnam. Depicting the historic Battle of Dien Bien Phu, this monumental work brings “56 days and nights of digging mountains, sleeping in bunkers, braving the rain, and eating rice balls” back to life.

Many aspects of the battle are depicted

More than two years after its inauguration, the panoramic painting titled “The Dien Bien Phu Campaign” has become a highlight, attracting many people to the Dien Bien Phu Historical Victory Museum in particular and Dien Bien province in general. Everyone wants to see the painting with their own eyes and immerse themselves in vivid images of a battle fought 70 years ago. The artwork is divided into four sections: “The whole people go to battle”; “The heroic prelude”; “The historical confrontation”; and “The glorious celebration of the Dien Bien victory”. The painting records events that actually took place, expressed through a fresh, smooth, and flexible visual language of sculpture, bas relief, installation art, and displays,  creating an attractive 3D effect. Viewers can witness events that changed the nation and moments of heroism. This work is 32m long, 42m in diameter, and has a maximum height of 20.5m. Covering an area of over 3,225m², the artwork depicts over 4,500 characters.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Mac, “No character is the same as any other, from French soldiers to porters, from carts to every piece of land, tree, and blade of grass…” “The Dien Bien Phu Campaign” is the result of a painstaking production process. The implementation team researched a vast amount of data. The work’s creators took many field trips, examined thousands of photos, read countless books, and met many witnesses before they were able to produce a complete sketch.

The idea of a panoramic painting depicting this legendary campaign was formed when the Dien Bien Phu Historical Victory Museum was built. However, bringing this artistic dream to life was not easy. While foreign experts, including ones from Russia—a superpower in panoramic painting—were invited to help, they could not find a common voice.

 “How can foreigners fully understand our history? They don’t feel it all, from the color of the soil, the space, the time, the things that have permeated every Vietnamese person during the nation’s glorious history,” reflected Mr. Nguyen Van Mac.

Troops prepare for battle and soldiers pull heavy artillery up the steep slopes

It took nine years from the first sketch in 2013 to the second sketch, which was also 100m-long. It was not known if that work would be selected. The whole team got involved thanks to their immeasurable love for Dien Bien and their pride in the nation’s history and traditions. The participating young artists knew that they were doing once-in-a-lifetime work and experiencing the country’s history in a rare and special  way. 2019 was a groundbreaking year, but the Covid-19 pandemic hit, bringing many complications. Fortunately, the painting was completed on schedule and received rave reviews, becoming a must-see stop for visitors to Dien Bien province.

It has been a long time since such a vivid and lifelike artwork was created. Although it recreates memories, it still feels connected to life in Dien Bien. Both experts and the public appreciate this special work’s artistic, cultural, historical, and humane values.

“The Dien Bien Phu Campaign” testifies to the effectiveness of investments in culture and art. The work is done, and the task is completed. However, Mr. Nguyen Van Mac still regularly returns to Dien Bien, especially as the 70th anniversary of the victory that “resounded around the world and shook the earth” approaches.

“I must supervise and check the work to see if any damage or problems have arisen so they can be repaired in time. Moreover, like a young mother, how dare she take her eyes off her child? The work in Dien Bien is our brainchild, our flesh and blood. We always look back at it,” said Mr. Nguyen Van Mac fondly.