Local designer wins international contest

22-year-old Phan Khanh Trang’s design, which beat other 200 works, won her JPY 100,000 (US$ 1,200), said the Japan Foundation in Hanoi Tuesday.

Besides Trang, a senior from Hue city University of Arts, four other students from Hanoi and Danang also won a consolation and honor prize.

The competition, held for the second time this year, is an annual event hosted by the Japan Foundation in Tokyo to promote international cultural exchange.

An award ceremony honoring the five local winners will be held on March 3 at the Japan Foundation in Hanoi.

Furoshiki is traditional Japanese cloth used as wraps, bags and decoration. In recent years, as environmentalists have protested against the use of plastic shopping bags, Japanese have increasingly turned to furoshiki as an alternative.

Furoshiki are commonly used to wrap and carry lunch boxes (bento) and often doubled as a table mat for lunch.

Local filmmakers compete in int’l short film contest

Fast Food Film, Pepe, Blue, Left at the Cow, Young Media, and The K6 Gang competed in the 48-hour film festival that ran from Friday to Sunday.

The local filmmakers competed with hundreds of filmmakers from more than 20 countries to win cash and a chance to be featured in the prestigious Short Film Corner at Cannes as well as the Las Vegas NAB show from April 9th – 14th this year.

At this year’s competition, held by 48-hour Film Project, the public will vote for their favorite films.

Of the Vietnamese films, Fast Food Film’s “A superhero’s choice” about a superhero trying to save the planet to win a girl’s heart with its straightforward story-telling was the most popular.

Others are more experimental. DOOO from Left at the Cow, for instance, features one character who sits and talks in front of the camera throughout the film. Young Media’s “That’s the way it is” about the dire consequences of environment and forest destruction and The 6 Gang’s “Looking for water” are two other interesting takes on environment protection.

Further information is available at http://www.48gogreen.com/

Another book on Dien Bien Phu victory published

The French newspaper Le Point on Feb. 15 ran an article, introducing a book about Vietnam ’s Dien Bien Phu glorious victory in 1954 by Vietnamese author Pham Thanh Tam.

The 188-page book, entitled “War handbook of a Viet Minh youth at Dien Bien Phu” was published by the France-based Armand Colin Publishing House in February 2011.

The article said that Tam was once an alumnus of the Hanoi University of Fine Arts and went out to battle as a reporter. Tam wrote the book after seven years of participating in the war, when he was just 22 years old.

In his book, Tam tells readers why and how the Vietnam People’s Army had defeated the French colonialists at the Dien Bien Phu stronghold .

According to the article, there have been thousands of books about the Indochina war, which ended with the French colonialists’ bitter defeat at Dien Bien Phu , but most of which were written by French war veterans.

With the newly-published book, readers can better understand the war and the French colonialists’ loss through the unhostile eyes of a solider on the other front line.

Musicians to pay tribute to Trinh Cong Son

The tomb of composer Trinh Cong Son in Binh Chieu Ward of HCMC’s Thu Duc DistrictA music show in Ho Chi Minh City on February 28 will mark the 10th death anniversary of legendary composer Trinh Cong Son.

“Cho Doi Chut On” to be hosted by the Binh Quoi tourism village and the Hoi Ngo clubhouse will feature performances by local singers like Lan Ngoc, Hong Van, Bich Nga, Thuy Tien, Huy Truc, Lan Nha, and Nhat Nguyen and girl band Nguyet Ca.

One thousand free tickets are available at the Hoi Ngo clubhouse in the tourism village in Binh Thanh District and Ami Art Gallery in Van Thanh tourist area at 48/10 Dien Bien Phu Street in Binh Thanh.

Trinh Cong Son was internationally renowned for his romantic music and is widely considered to be one of the three most important modern Vietnamese musicians besides Pham Duy and Van Cao.

Son, who passed away on April 1, 2001, was also as a talented painter.

Japanese Kimono fest in HCMC

The Japanese General Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City is to showcase the beauty of Kimono, Japan’s traditional costume through a fashion show to take place at the Union of Friendship Organization Meeting Hall February 22.

The event, named “Kimono in four seasons”, will feature different versions of Kimono worn in four seasons.

Traditional costumes for wedding ceremony and for children under 7 will also be presented.

All models, hair and make-up stylists come from Japan’s coastal city of Nagoya.

Free tickets are distributed upon calling +3829 6238 or +3829 6283.

The show starts from 18.30pm at the Union of Friendship Organization Meeting Hall, 31 Le Duan, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

Few artists live with lacquer painting

The second exhibition of paintings by the Sai Gon Lacquer Group at the HCMC Art University clearly exemplified the present status of lacquer art.

In spite of being recognized as a unique traditional art form of Vietnam, the development and growth of this art has not yet been given its due.

The exhibits in the New Year gallery comprised of diverse styles with many established artists along with other teachers and students from the university participating in the show.

The diversity of styles was apparent in Hoang Tram’s experienced arrangement of layouts and materials, in the innovative paintings of Dao Minh Tri and Bich Tram, as well as in the conventional yet original drawings of Vo Nam.

Some younger painters like Pham Thanh Tam and Nguyen Huy Bac conveyed a bold style in their creative use of ideas and materials. Ngo Viet Hung and Le Duy expressed their passion for lacquer in their representation of present day society from various perspectives.

Within the many different styles presented by the artists, there were present an equal number of techniques and materials used to create the magic of the mysterious appeal of lacquer painting.

It is also clear that despite the attractiveness of this art form there were many obstacles ahead for lacquer painters. According to artist Vo Nam, Vice Director of the Applied Art Center in HCMC Art University, few artists can now survive on lacquer painting alone.

Most of the art galleries gave higher preference to oil paintings and lacquer painting sales were comparatively very modest.

An artist was once known to have “bet” his land to get enough money for his research and pursuit of a career in lacquer painting. (As the story goes of artist Nguyen Van Thanh of Soc Trang province).

Although finding a lucrative market for lacquer painting is quite hard, many artists like Nguyen Quang Son chose to put every available opportunity in his hometown to his advantage.

He set out to revive the one-time very famous traditional lacquer craft village of Tuong Binh Hiep in Binh Duong in the south of Viet Nam. His goal was to utilize the past Thu land lacquer material to supplement the present lacquer art.

Artist Vo Nam was greatly appreciated by Chinese, Korean and Japanese colleagues when participating in an International lacquer painting exhibition in China along with artist Tran Khanh Chuong of Hanoi. That was a glorious highlight of Vietnamese lacquer art.

Practically speaking, Vo Nam remarked that equipment in painting studios used for practice of techniques and different materials, and especially the training of human resources to improve the quality of lacquer painting should be the main focus of learning.

Though lack of funds and support from investors, impeded the development of Vietnamese lacquer painting.

The recently opened Ham Long Art and craft village in District 2 is a promising sign of new activity and interaction between artists, gallery owners and visitors.

The question is whether the lacquer painting art form should maintain its rich cultural identity and talented craftsmen and artists be used to promote this art form through schools, craft villages and for cultural tourism which would then enhance the development and promotion strategy for culture, tourism and economy?

Comic books on Vietnamese classics in Japanese

Comic books on Vietnamese classic works will be published in the Japanese language in Japan for the first time, according to the Phan Thi Joint Stock Company.

Leaders from the media, education and entertainment have worked with Mr. Shie Toshishiko of the Rep. Office of the Japan-Viet Nam Cultural Exchange Promotion to publish these books in Japan.

Comics adapted from a variety of classic literary works will help young readers to view Vietnamese classic literature with a new perspective.

Da Bia international mountain climbing competition in Phu Yen

Da Bia international mountain climbing competition is scheduled to be held at Da Bia Mountain in Dong Hoa District, in the central province of Phu Yen on March 27.

This announcement was made by the provincial Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism. The mountain climbing tournament attracts local teams from 13 cities and provinces nationwide and international teams from Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar.

The competition has two categories, a 5km race for professional athletes and a 2km race for amateur climbers.

The event is part of the 2011 National Tourism Year in Phu Yen and other south-central coastal provinces.

Promoting Vietnam’s tourism on TVB channel

Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has agreed with the Vietnam Aviation Corporation, the Vietnam National Trade Fair and Advertising Company (Vinexad) to promote Vietnam’s tourism on TVB Channel (Hong Kong-China).

While staying in Vietnam from February 19 to March 12, the TVB delegation will visit Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and other famous landscapes.

Their tour will be broadcast on “Admiral’s Feast of TVB in 2011.

As Hong Kong’s leading channel TVB has been broadcasting since 1967 to serve around 30 million of viewers in the Asia-Pacific, Northern America and Europe.

Australian guitar concert to pluck at Hanoi heartstrings

Two outstanding Australian performers will impress Hanoi audiences with sounds of the guitar and exotic oud during a free concert at Radio the Voice of Vietnam Theatre on February 28.

The concert, titled Brothers in Concert: Sounds of Colours, showcases Leonard Grigoryan (guitar) and Joseph Tawadros (oud) alongside well-known Vietnamese performers. The concert is presented by the Australian Embassy in Hanoi and Radio the Voice of Vietnam.

Leonard Grigoryan and Joseph Tawadros are members of the Band of Brothers, well known in Australia for their exceptional skills, diverse music forms and evident on-stage friendship.

The Grigoryan and Tawadros family names are synonymous with modern Australian classical music. Regarded as one of Australia’s finest classical guitarists, Leonard is also well-known for his forays into genres such as latin, jazz, folk and contemporary music. Joseph is recognised as one of the world’s leading performers and composers for the oud (an eleven stringed lute of Middle-Eastern origin). With his brilliant technique and his joyous style of performance, Joseph continues to appear in concert halls worldwide, dazzling audience with his passionate music.

HE Mr Allaster Cox, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam said, “Brothers in Concert brings Australian and Vietnamese closer together by including collaborations between artists from both countries. ‘Brothers’ is a good term to describe the friendship between Australia and Vietnam.”

“VOV has enjoyed long-standing cooperation with the Australian Embassy, beginning with English language training in the 1970s. Brothers in Concert expands on those foundations to encourage future cultural cooperation between VOV and the Australian Embassy,” said a VOV representative.

In Hanoi, Leonard and Joseph will also conduct a master class with students of the Vietnam Conservatoire. In Ho Chi Minh City, they will share their experience with students of the Conservatoire and perform at the HCM City Opera House.

Ancient graves found in Quang Ngai

Six graves, believed to belong to the Sa Huynh Culture that flourished between 1000 BC and AD 200, have been discovered in Tay Tra District in the central province of Quang Ngai.

Objects buried in the graves included glass earrings decorated with animal heads, stone tools, iron knives and pottery.

The archaeological site will be excavated until the end of May, according to Nguyen Dang Vu, director of the provincial department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Art picture auction for charity in HCM City

An annual picture auction for charity by the consul generals’ ladies club in HCM City will be held on March 4.

The event aims at raising funds for disadvantaged people to better their lives. At the auction, the organising board will introduce art pictures, photographs and objects by domestic and international artists, professional and amateur.

Notably, one of the outstanding items, a Kimono Uchikake dress, considered as one of Japan’s historical cultural icons and worn by brides at traditional weddings, will be also auctioned.

In 2010, the consul generals’ ladies club in HCM City auctioned more than 100 piecies of art work and earned over US$15,000 for 29 charitable projects.

Vietnam Cinema Day in HCM City

2011’s Vietnam Cinema Day will be held at Hoa Binh Theatre, HCM City on March 13, including the ceremony for the Canh Dieu Vang (Golden Kite) Award among other significant events to mark the sector’s Day.

The Vietnam Cinema Association made the announcement at a press briefing on February 23 in Hanoi.

To mark the day, many activities will be held in the first half of March such as free film screening at the August Theatre, the National Cinema Centre, the Vietnam Film Institute and the Centre for Science and Documentary Film.

The awarding ceremony for the Golden Kite 2011 for outstanding artists and film producers will be the focus of the day.

This year’s award attracted 11 feature films, 19 video films, 41 short films, 9 cartoons, 37 documentary films, 5 scientific films, and 4 criticism works as entries.

Hue Palace gets royal restoration treatment

German restorers are using traditional Vietnamese methods to restore the facade of the Imperial Palace in Hue.

Restoration work is currently being carried out on Buu Thanh Gate and screens around King Tu Duc’s tomb.

The Germany foreign ministry has commissioned experts from the German Conservation, Restoration and Education Project (GCREP) to renovate six murals dating from the Nguyen Dynasty in the lobby of An Dinh Palace.

The artwork is magnificent, but heavily damaged. Before attempting to restore the murals, team leader Andreas Teufel sent samples back to Germany for chemical analysis.

The team are using traditional mortar made from molasses, lime and sand to restore the works. Teufel said the restored parts of the palace will be indistinguishable from the original work.

“Previous restorers tried to preserve the original works but they didn’t know how to do it properly and didn’t have access to modern technology”, she said.

“That was why relics at the site have largely been left unrestored. The work they did was far from perfect and bore little resemblance to the original. People in the past used different painting techniques. The Vietnamese restorers used modern pigments and techniques”, she said.

“I discovered that the original painting technique was similar to that used in Italy “.

The German restorers have used traditional pigments, which are applied to the wet mortar. The colour will be fixed when the mortar dries. Bacteria will grow on the walls during the drying process, which helps to make the artwork more durable.

The restoration work is in keeping with UNESCO’s 1964 Charter.

According to Phan Thanh Hai, vice director of the Centre for Restoration of Hue Relics, the techniques used to restore the palace will be applied to other sites.

Da Nang invests more in culture, sports and tourism

The Da Nang culture, sports and tourism sectors fulfilled their tasks for 2010 with the successful organisation of several events such as the 35th anniversary celebration of the city’s liberation, the annual international fireworks competition, and the 6th National Sports and Gymnastics Festival.

The city also focused on developing successful sports teams and investing in training centres, as well as preparing for upcoming domestic and international competitions.

2010 also saw more than 1.7 million people visit the city.

In 2011, Da Nang will continue to invest in its culture and tourism sites, and building cultural lifestyle in residential areas. It will also promote sports activities aiming 24 percent of the population taking exercise regularly.

More investment will be made in tourism in order to receive 2.1 million visitors this year and earn VND1,500 billion.

Photograph
exhibition on cultural life opens

A photograph exhibition, entitled “All people unite to build a
cultural lifestyle” opened at the Exhibition House, 45 Trang Tien,
Hanoi, on February 20.

Among 3,000 entries sent to the contest by 600 artists, 8 photographs
and 3 collections were awarded by the jury at the opening ceremony.

The first prize went to Trinh Te Ha (HCM City)’s “Telling the story”
and the second prize to Vu Thi Huong (Vinh Phuc Province)’s “Ca Kheo
performance”. Three third prizes and 3 consolation prizes were presented
to other photographers.

Nguyen Thi Huyen (Hanoi) won the first prize for her collection,
entitled “Cu Da Mien village”, Vo Thi Huynh Chau (My Tho city, Tien
Giang) got second prize for “Boi singing”, and Hoang Ngoc Thach (Hanoi)
third prize for his “Buffalo thrusting festival”.

150 other photos were also chosen for the exhibition which will last
until February 26.

40,000 maps of Hoi An given free to tourists

Quang Nam Tourism Association and the Hoi An City People’s Committee
on February 20 started delivering maps of Hoi An to both local and
foreign tourists.

The Hoi An Tourist Map Project, funded by the US Robin Taucks &
Partners, is expected to distribute 40,000 maps free to visitors at more
than 40 different locations. In addition, the Quang Nam Tourism
Association will gather tourist opinions from a sample survey form
attached to each map.

This is a pilot project to develop the local tourism sector in a
sustainable manner.