Vietnam artist in race to ensure ‘heroic mothers’ not forgotten

During the war, Viet was a guerrilla in the Mekong Delta.

Some researchers have estimated about 3.8 million people were killed during the war, though estimates of the toll vary.

Vietnamese artist, Dang Ai Viet, poses with a woman she painted as a part of her project, “heroic mothers of Vietnam”, a term recognized by the Vietnam government for women who lost their husbands and sons to the Vietnam War, in Cao Lanh, Dong Thap Province, Vietnam, March 8, 2023. Photo by Reuters/Thinh Nguyen

In Dong Thap Province in the Mekong Delta, Viet recently painted the portrait of Huynh Thi Bay, 98, whose husband and eldest son were killed in 1969, only days apart.

“It is devastating enough for a mother to learn of the death of her son, but it takes a hero to learn of the death of both a husband and a son,” Viet said.

Before the portrait is handed over to the family, Viet includes details of the woman and how her loved ones died and the local government gives a stamp of authenticity.

“From now on, there will be a picture of her in the family’s possession and we can always see my mother,” said Bay’s only surviving son, Thuong Van Hop.

In the past six months, Viet has traveled more than 10,000 km (6,214 miles) on her mission to paint the 5,000 surviving women.

She knows she’s in a race as time inevitably takes its toll.

“My biggest fear is that they would leave, and I would never want to miss anyone,” she said.