The
Viet Nam University of Fine Arts’ Institute of Fine Arts has published an
English translation of its annual academic bulletin Studies on Vietnamese Fine
Arts Scientific Information 2008, with plans to issue translations of the 2009
and 2010 editions next year.

Bowled over: Studies on Vietnamese Fine Arts Scientific Information Bulletin 2008 includes articles on ancient and contemporary fine arts. (Photo: VNS)

The bulletin, a
yearbook of the fine arts scene, has been published annually since 2002 and has
been warmly received by experts for its form and full-colour content. The
300-page, lavishly illustrated 2008 edition contains articles on ancient and
contemporary fine arts and applied arts.

“It has been
commissioned to function as a bridge between Vietnamese fine arts and the world
as well as a forum in which artists and researchers exchange their views on
academic issues,” said Institute of Fine Arts director Le Anh Van.

Printed by The Gioi
(World) Publishers, the journal will be issued for free to research institutes,
fine arts colleges and universities, libraries, galleries, diplomatic
organisations and cultural centres.

“About seven years
ago, I had a chance to visit South Korea’s National Museum of Fine Arts and
realised that many Vietnamese paintings were respectfully displayed in the
halls,” said the director of the The Gioi Publishers, Tran Doan Lam.

“The director of the
museum told me that they were interested in learning more about Vietnamese fine
arts but could find very few documents in English. I promised him that we would
publish a work in English to serve international researchers. Now my promise has
come true.”

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News