Introducing the art of Le Ba Dang in Hanoi

After its preliminary round, the 2026 Children’s painting contest based on books, themed ‘Drawing the Future with Books’, attracted over 350 paintings submitted by students aged 6 to 15 from across Hue City. Organized by Hue City Library, the contest selected 50 works from the entries for the final round, which was held on August 14.

Drawing inspiration from renowned artists with the combination of traditional materials, the child artists had the chance to experience an inspiring creative journey. Each artwork presented to the public not only showcased the children’s artistic talent but also conveyed a unique message of its own.

After nearly two decades of practicing art, Mr. Nguyen Van He has found himself returning to one question: How can memories be transformed into hope? The Hue-born artist has “distilled” his answer into ‘Folding a Sky’, an exhibition he painstakingly brought from Kim Son Hill to Ho Chi Minh City to present to the public in mid-July.

On the afternoon of August 9th, at Lieu Quan Hue Buddhist Cultural Centre, Hue Union of Literature and Arts Associations, in collaboration with Lieu Quan Hue Buddhist Cultural Centre and the family of Nguyen Phan, a late painter, opened the exhibition ‘Nguyen Phan: Echoes of Returning Home’.

Inspired by two world-renowned artists, Pablo Picasso and Le Ba Dang, children have reimagined famous artworks in their own poetic ways, creating a space where people, nature, and memory blend.