The exhibition features around 90 works spanning painting, graphics, sculpture, and decorative arts, created by renowned Soviet and Russian artists and their Vietnamese students. Many of the contributors are members of the former Soviet Union Academy of Arts and the current Russian Academy of Arts.

The opening ceremony was attended by Ngo Phuong Ly, spouse of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam; Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi and his wife; Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko and his wife; as well as numerous officials and art lovers from both countries.

Vasily Tsereteli, President of the Russian Academy of Arts, expressed his honour in hosting the exhibition, noting that Vietnamese painting and Russian realism continue to produce world-class visual art works. The exhibits’ quality has been reflected through the presence of master artists, including People’s Artist Nikas Safronov, one of Russia’s most renowned painters.

Russian Deputy Minister of Culture Andrei Malyshev affirmed that long-standing collaboration in arts education between the two countries has paved the way for a shared artistic journey, reflected in the exhibition’s title, “Master and Student.”

The event represents over half a century of collaborative creativity between outstanding Soviet and Russian artists and their Vietnamese students, many of whom were trained in Russia during the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

The exhibition, he said, reflects the profound nature of the Vietnam–Russia relationship and stands as a vivid example of enduring friendship and cultural cooperation.

A highlight of the exhibition is the display of five works by renowned Vietnamese People’s Artist Ngo Manh Lan - father of Ngo Phuong Ly - who was among the first Vietnamese students to study in the Soviet Union in 1962.

Speaking at the opening, Ly noted that the exhibition mirrors the positive outcomes of bilateral cooperation in education, particularly in fine arts. She affirmed that it would make a meaningful contribution to strengthening the traditional friendship and close ties between the two countries.

On this occasion, Ly was awarded the Russian Academy of Arts’ Gold Medal “For Merit” for her contributions to art and international cultural relations. Sculptor Dao Chau Hai, a student of People’s Artist P.I. Bondarenko, was also named an Honorary Foreign Academician.

Standing Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Hai Binh reaffirmed the long-standing friendship between Vietnam and Russia, calling the 75-year relationship a priceless asset built on deep cultural ties, including teacher–student bonds.

The exhibition will run until September 28.

Vietnamese culture promoted in Russia

As part of Vietnam Week in St. Petersburg (May 19–23), a Vietnamese Language and Culture Festival was held on May 21 at High School No. 488 in the city’s Vyborg district, Russia.