Cartoonist Ha Xuan Nong became the winner and was presented the Bamboo Dragon Cup of the Viet Nam Press Cartoon competition themed “Viet Nam’s traffic”.

Connecting the dots: A cartoon entitled Ba Giai Doan (Three Phases) by Ha Xuan Nong won the Viet Nam Press Cartoon competition.

As the competition focused on published cartoons Nong said he wasn’t pressurised by a deadline. He selected cartoons which had already been printed in newspapers. He found inspiration from the traffic chaos found in Viet Nam.

Bamboo Dragon is the name of a satirical play by Nguyen Ai Quoc (President Ho Chi Minh), who was the pioneer of the Vietnamese press cartoon.

The competition, the second of its kind, has run, and it offered the chance to show a humorous view of traffic in Viet Nam, said Ngo Ha Thai, deputy general director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

“The first contest was welcomed by veteran and young cartoonists alike,” Thai said. “Some veterans had given up cartoon drawing but they eagerly took part.”

This year 12-year-old Nguyen Bao Linh was the youngest cartoonist. She was granted a consolation prize.

Tran Mai Huong, VNA’s general director, was impressed by her work.

“Through an innocent and humorous view, she expressed her warnings of danger of driving at high speed,” he said.

The competition attracted 400 entries from 80 amateur and professional cartoonists from throughout the country. They were voted on www.thethaovanhoa.vn/biemhoa. The best works have been published in a book.

The jury board included veteran cartoonists, journalists and critics, who award a first prize, two second prizes, three third prizes and five consolation prizes. The prizes totalled VND60 million (US$3,260) in value.

“Each year the number of losses caused by traffic accidents is similar to the consequence of 12 storms,” said jury member Nguyen Quan.

“The cartoons may trigger smiles from viewers, and the humour helps reduce the sorrow, but we have to ponder upon the sad fact,” he says.

The biennial competition is funded by the Cultural Development and Exchange Fund of the Danish government and the Ford Foundation. Last year, it attracted 99 entrants and 900 cartoons.

An exhibition of the prize-winning cartoons opened at Exhibition House, 29 Hang Bai Street, Ha Noi, and will be showcased in HCM City in May.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News