Painting description
- Material: Oil painting
- Size: 80 cm x 100 cm
- Creation year: 2023
Ancient Vietnamese people lived in river areas, so in addition to birds, they have long revered crocodiles as a sacred animal, because they represent prosperity and strength.
Vam Nao, the shortest river in Vietnam, is famous for its anecdotes about Mr. Nam Cheo, a 5-legged crocodile with a red nose. The painting depicts the story of Mr. Nam Cheo leading the way for the army and people on the Vam Nao River during the resistance war against the French.
The image of an incomplete crocodile in the body and two colored patches in the head symbolizes a legendary event: a sea monster that understands the destiny of heaven, "turns around" towards goodness, and helps the world.
For any hypothetical story, there is always a "word of mouth" and patchwork nature, so the painting uses an integration of uncertain pieces, on a background of thick layers of checkered fabric - symbolizing the image of a grid catch fish by fishermen.