A letter from MAI CHUNG

 

👉collage on paper 1996

Size A4

Courtesy of la toan vinh.

BÌNH-DƯƠNG,1967-1970.

My family started a new life, more stable, more peaceful in Binh Dương (Phú Cưōng), a small city located 30 km from East of Saigon. It was a _fertilited land that was arable and favorable for gardening. During the war, the location was called Iron Triangle, the army resistance base such as Ben Cat, Nhà Do, Bông Trang, Xom Bô, Lai Khê, etc.

 I kept for ever in my childhood memory the image of the war’s total and endless destruction.  

.When the war escalated to the highest extent, I started my elementary years at the Chau Thanh public’s boy school, then at Bodhi, a Budhist high school. In 1968 at spring, the war had reached its highest peak with the Mau Than battle. However the government had regained its control by establishing a thoroughly safety and security check, combining with a curfew to reinforce the system.  

👍❤I was admitted then in the Fine Arts school of Binh Duong, build in 1901’s and was a 1st one in VN. It witnessed many unforgettable events, since the French colonization up to the recent civil war. The establishment where I learnt all my valuable lessons was build in a lovely environment and next to a peaceful river. From that external influence, I did choose for myself a vocation of being an artist who can create beauty to human in general and to my kin in particular, and soothe my people’s suffering that caused by the war’s force.

By the time being, the impact of the war had been emphasized. Several American army bases had been established in Phuoc Thanh, Lai Khê, Loc Ninh, Phu Loi, etc. On the interstate route 13, all the way from Binh Duong to Phuoc Thanh, on a outdated bus that crawled like a turtle, one had to manage to skipping the explosive trap left by the revolutionary army( at least 10 deadly obstacles) as well as the security booths of the in place government and the US army.

This year was such a turning point. It stressed out many issues among which could be a withdrawal of the US allies.

La toan vinh's memories.

 A letter from Mai chûng from

Sungei besi transit camp sent to

Pulau bidong camp 1981