British newspaper runs story on Vietnamese COVID-19 posters

The poster by Lê Đức Hiệp that appeared in The Guardian on April 9. Photo from the Facebook of Hiep Le Du

HÀ NỘI  A COVID-19 fighting-poster featuring two people wearing masks with the slogan Ở Nhà Là Yêu Nước (To Stay At Home is To Love Your Country) by artist Lê Thế Hiệp has appeared in the British newspaper The Guardian. 

Hiệp posted the poster on his Facebook page in response to Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc’s social distancing order to limit the spread of COVID-19.

But he saw on social networks that many people still ignored the order and gathered in cafes and restaurants, which led him to draw the poster to encourage people to stay home. 

“Honoured to be featured on The Guardian together with other Vietnamese artists,” he wrote on Facebook.

“The British The Guardian has an article about graphics in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Việt Nam. I think that it is the responsibility of each citizen. Anyone can make a contribution to his or her ability. I have a mouse and Photoshop and I make it my way.”

Hiệp chose an old style for the poster because it reminds viewers about Vietnamese posters in the past about national defence and the national construction and development.

The poster depicts a health care worker and a young man with a mask standing side by side and raising their hands up with the bold slogan Ở Nhà Là Yêu Nước.  

Above the slogan is smaller writing calling people to limit going out and gathering. Beneath the writing includes hotlines of the Ministry of Health and Hi-Tech Crime Police Department for reporting anyone escaping quarantine and spreading fake news.

“I thought a lot about what is written on the poster,” Hiệp said. “Ở Nhà Là Yêu Nước is a short message that impresses viewers. And I also wrote other short and humorous words to make them easy to remember.”

Hiệp is a creator and graphic designer at Tạp Chí Nữ Doanh Nhân (Businesswoman Magazine). He has also designed posters for award-winning films such as Song Lang (The Tap Box) and Cô Ba Sài Gòn (The Tailor).

Hiệp is not the only Vietnamese artist who has used war-era sentiment when depicting the pandemic, The Guardian wrote.

A poster by 73-year old Lưu Yên Thế that was published in The Guardian. Photo baodantoc.vn

In the article, it also mentions artists Lưu Yên Thế and Phạm Trung Hà. At 73 years old, two posters by Thế have been used by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism whilst Hà’s adorn a new collection of stamps issued recently by Việt Nam Post. VNS