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Prized landmark: The lacquer painting Ha Noi Co Cau Long Bien by Nguyen Truong Linh is one of three artworks to receive the Gold Medal.
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The National Fine Arts Exhibition is held every five years to review and assess the state of Vietnamese fine arts. The works awarded and displayed at the exhibition are selected from 5,000 entries nationwide.
They show the creativity, skill and increasing professionalism of Vietnamese artists.
The works on show include paintings, graphics, installations and sculptures that reflect different perspectives on contemporary life and society.
Tran Khanh Chuong, president of Viet Nam Fine Arts Association, who is also deputy head of the organising board, says "The exhibition presents many works by artists during the renewal process who are creating a positive movement in Viet Nam fine arts and sculpture. This is the most important event of Viet Nam fine arts this year."
Forty-eight awards were granted including three gold medals, six silver medals, nine bronze and 30 consolation prizes.
The gold medals went to Vu Cuong for Mam Da (Stone's Buds), oil on canvas; Nguyen Truong Linh for Ha Noi Co Cau Long Bien (Ha Noi Has Long Bien Bridge) lacquer; Nguyen Quoc Thang for Nhung La Thu Thoi Chien (War Letters), bronze sculpture.
Linh's painting was not the only one at the exhibition featuring Long Bien Bridge, but he is the winner thanks to different point of view and style of colours, says painter Le Anh Van.
Long Bien Bridge is portrayed as a grandiose construction with buttresses painted in dark and light colours. In contrast, the painter describes the lives of small people living around it.
The bronze sculpture of Thang tells a long story of a cruel war. The visitors can see an image of a soldier on guard, protecting the country. He lets fly with letters amid the gunfire and smoke. The sad eyes of a woman waiting for the letters – his wife or his mother – haunts people.
The oil painting Mam Da reflects life in a mountainous region. Despite the hard life, people, children and cattle are still energetic.
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Rural power: The oil on canvas Mam Da by Vu Cuong, which shows the power and vitality of the people in mountainous regions, was granted the Gold Medal. |
"The artists show a wide variety and diversity of themes, styles and media. Through the artworks, they express their inner feelings.
"Many people think that all cities and provinces in the country have artworks displayed at the exhibition because this is the national event but actually, we couldn't select any artworks from nine.
"In the previous exhibition, the organising board tried to show representative works of all cities and provinces, but since this year only the most excellent ones are honoured."
The exhibition will run until Wednesday at the Vietnamese Culture and Arts Exhibition Centre, 2 Hoa Lu Street, Ha Noi.
After being displayed in Ha Noi, the exhibition will be taken to HCM City Fine Arts Museum and displayed between January 10-26. — VNS
