In the last week of July, the three male students Pham Thieu Bao, Hoang Nam Khanh and Tran Duc Hien sold seven paintings for VND50 million (over $2,200) to donate to Cu Chi Field Hospital in HCM City.

Bao and Khanh are high school students in the US, while Duc Hien is studying in Vietnam. They saw each other again when Bao and Khanh returned to Vietnam because of the Covid-19 epidemic.

Hoang Nam Khanh (left) and Pham Thieu Bao (right).

Bao said that his family has a passion for paintings and has collected paintings. The family also has close relations with some painters. Bao auctioned paintings of his family and some donated by artists to raise funds for anti-pandemic activities.

Nam Khanh participated in the project of selling paintings to raise money the first time in late July. Bao at that time had already auctioned paintings three times, raising VND43-61 million per auction.

Bao said that he reduced the price of paintings by about 10-30% compared to the real value because this is the difficult time.

Besides auctioning paintings to support anti-epidemic activities, the 17-year-old student also wants to spread the love of art to young people.

Bao said because he is still a student, he did not have the financial capacity to do bigger things, so he just wanted to do the best he could. The group prepared 10 paintings for the auction in late July, but after selling seven paintings, they were satisfied with what they got.

A painting by artist Bui Van Tuat auctioned in July.

Lotus by artist Ho Huy Hung

In the Plum Garden by artist Cao Thuc

Dang Duong

14-year-old painter donates over $130,000 to COVID-19 fund

Xeo Chu, a 14-year-old painter, has joined hands in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City by donating nearly 3 billion VND (about 130,200 USD) raised from auctions of his paintings.