Đường mòn Hồ Chí Minh

In "The Ho Chi Minh Trail," Le Ba Dang doesn't recreate the route through specific geographical descriptions, but rather constructs a war landscape from layers of black, gray, and white ink clashing violently. The sweeping, scratching, smudging, and broken brushstrokes make the mountains and forests appear like a moving body, wounded yet still possessing enduring vitality.

The work was created in 1972 while Le Ba Dang was living in France and hadn't yet had the opportunity to return to Vietnam. The image of the trail was therefore formed through books, magazines, and the imagination of an artist whose mind was focused on his homeland. Against a predominantly black and white background, the red streaks are understood as signs of danger and the enemy, while the yellow evokes faith and hope for victory. Through the conciseness of color and the power of the brushstrokes, the work transforms a historical route into a symbol of will, memory, and spiritual connection to the country.