A Vietnamese Painter Remembers Slug: Sweden Vietnam painter Reporter: Ric Wasserman Date: 26/03/20 !

"#$R% $oda& Vietnam is 'nown as an economic power(ouse in Sout(east Asia) *ut bac' in +60s, t(e -S bombings o. /anoi nearl& s(attered t(e entire in.rastructure) Vietnam (as e0ploded economicall& ini t(e past 0 &ears))) but democratic re.orm is still lagging .ar be(ind as it1s still a one2part& go3ernment) 4a5 $rang was a teenager in /anoi))) li3ing in .ear as t(e bombs .ell dail& .or .i3e long &ears) S(e le.t (er (omeland and began a new li.e in Sweden))) as a painter) Ric Wasserman (as (er stor&) $67$ S87 People mingel, toast

"n +6+, as American bombs were .alling on /anoi, Sweden was t(e .irst Western countr& to establis( diplomatic relations wit( Vietnam) And recentl&, !9 &ears o. cooperation between t(e two nations was recentl& celebrated in Stoc'(olm) S87 2 3ietnamese music $(e reception was also a time .or re.lection especiall& .or artist 4a5 $rang w(o was t(ere to e0(ibit (er paintings) S(e was a teenager w(en t(e bombs .ell on /anoi in +60s))) man& o. (er neig(bours and relati3es peris(ed) $(e carnage s(e li3ed t(roug( (as a..ected (er e3er) 4a5 met a Swede wor'ing at a Vietnamese paper mill, married (im, and mo3ed to Sweden in ++0) S(e1s now .ound w(at s(e was loo'ing .or: 4a5 $rang clip :8emale, 6nglis(;:<8reedom)<

4a5 $rang now li3es in t(e sout(ern Swedis( cit& o. =rebro> a long wa& .rom Vietnam) At (ome, s(e1s bus& coo'ing Vietnamese2st&le soup)))

S87 3 8r&ing .ood $(e smell brings bac' memories o. (er c(ild(ood s(e sa&s) " as' (er (ow it was to grow up during t(e dail& air raids in /anoi) 4a5 $rang clip 2 :8emale, 6nglis(;:<W(en " was 6, or 9 " remember 2 da&s in /anoi o. bombing) Running and (iding under t(e (ouse) "n t(e s'& a lot o. .ire)< S87 ! set up 'ic(en table "n t(e main room o. 4a51s apartment and studio is a blac' and w(ite p(oto o. a man seated in .ront o. a (uge mural o. /o ?(i 4in(, t(e leader w(o led Vietnam to independence) $(e man in t(e p(oto is /ong Van, 4a5 $rang1s .at(er w(o was t(e o..icial portrait painter o. t(e leader) 4a51s brot(ers too' painting lessons .rom t(eir .at(er, but s(e was s(ut out) 4a5 $rang clip 3 :8emale, 6nglis(;@<" learned b& onl& (earing t(em tal') ". &ou paint wit( oil, &ou must paint slowl&, man& times) " (ear (im teac( m& brot(er (ow to ma'e t(e .orms, t(e lig(t) " onl& (ear because m& .at(er wasn1t interested in t(e girls) %nl& in t(e men, m& brot(ers) #ot(ing .or me)< *ut 4a5 learned to paint b& e0perimenting on (er own) %3er two decades s(e1s come up wit( a st&le t(at1s uniAuel& (er own) Wit( brig( colours abound, (er wor' is a mi0 o. st&les: part abstract, part nai3istic, part traditional) S87 9 closing suitcase SAueeBing (er clot(es into an o3erstu..ed suitacase , s(e1s pac'ing .or (er ne0t s(owing) in "tal&) 4a5 $rang clip ! :8emale, 6nglis(;:<"13e (ad e0(ibitions .our times in "tal&, in Venice and a galler& in Venice collects m& art, and man& people in "tal& also collect m& art)< 4a5 li3es a di..erent li.e now, but re.lects o.ten on t(e past))) t(e su..ering during (er c(ild(ood) 4a5 (as two daug(ters C a p(oto o. t(em is on t(e 'itc(en wall C w(ile s(e grew up in a poor .amil& o. eig(t) 4a5 $rang clip 9 :8emale, 6nglis(;: D" don1t (a3e lig(ts at (ome, " used to bu& oil .or t(e lamp to learn at sc(ool) " didn1t (a3e s(oes eit(er, " went bare.oot)< $(ose times (a3e c(anged .or good in Vietnam)

$oda& t(e countr& is e0periecing an economic boom) "t ma& become a good mar'et .or 4a51s wor' ) /er plans .or t(e .uture include going bac' to /anoi) 4a5 $rang clip 6 :8emale, 6nglis(;:<W(en it1s winter time in Sweden, cold and snow, to come bac' to Vietnam .or 6 mont(s) $(at1s m& dream)< 8rom Sweden t(is is Ric Wasserman .or Asia ?alling)