(b.1949) Thanh Chuong is one of Vietnam's foremost artists. Born in 1949 in Bac Ninh Province, he was a child prodigy and began painting at the age of seven. From 1956 to 1960, he joined and won prizes in several art competitions; where he earned a gold medal for his painting "Doi Ga To” in London in 1957. By 1960, barely 11 years old, he entered the Hanoi Fine Arts College, where he stayed until he joined the war efforts in 1966. After the war, he worked as a painter for Thong Nhat Journal (1974) and as lead designer for the Van Nghe Journal (1975). It was only in 1994, after Vietnam implemented an open-door policy, that he was able to exhibit as a solo artist. His first exhibition is in Song Hong Gallery in Hanoi, which was highly received by critics. Since then, he has been exhibiting his artworks in Vietnam and overseas. Most recently was "Treasures of Vietnam" in Hanoi Art House in London (2015). Thanh Chuong’s primary medium is lacquer, and his subjects of inspiration have been Vietnamese rural life, family, love, and self-portrait. Thanh Chuong’s work "Love" was chosen by the United Nations as the symbol for the International Year of Volunteers in 2001. Moreover, in 2012, he was named one of the "50 Pioneers of All Time" for his achievements, his revolutionary contributions to the development of the society and communities.