Painting by King Ham Nghi auctions in Paris

The painting Declin du jour by Ham Nghi King to be auctioned in Paris on Wednesday

A painting by Vietnam’s Emperor Ham Nghi (1872-1943) will go on auction in Paris on Wednesday, November 24, reports Tuoi Tre.

Bidding will start at 800-1200 euro.

According to the website Millon & Associe, the king painted the small oil on canvas painting called Déclin du jour (Sunset) in 1915 while he was living in the Gia Long Villa in the  Algerian capital of Alger.

Phan Thanh Hai, deputy director of Hue Monuments Conservation Center, said he expects other paintings of the king to come on auction in Paris in the future.

Ham Nghi was the eighth Emperor in Vietnam’s Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945). He ruled for only one year (1884-1885). Together with Emperors Thanh Thai and Duy Tan, Ham Nghi orchestrated several revolts against the French colonists. In 1885, he led the Can Vuong uprising.

Ham Nghi was arrested by the French and exiled to Algeria in 1888. He died in 1943 and was buried in Aquitaine, France in 1965.

Most cities in Vietnam have major streets bearing his name.

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Bridge to become open-air gallery

Train of thought: Visitors welcome a train at the Long Bien Bridge Festival last year. This year, foreign artists will perform songs of Long Bien Bridge on a train. — VNS File Photo

HA NOI — The Long Bien Bridge Festival opens this weekend with more events and performers than ever, according to festival founder and organiser Nguyen Nga.

Nga, an overseas Vietnamese living in France, is busy completing final preparations for the festival, to be entitled Dragon Bridge.

The festival will be closed to motor vehice traffic and will become an outdoor art gallery, featuring an exhibition of contemporary arts, including paintings by disable children and children affected by Agent Orange, as well as woodblock art and a collection of kites by artisans from Ha Noi and the northern province of Hai Duong.

The festival will also feature an exhibition of photographs, documents and other artefacts depicting national defence over the past 10 centuries. Throughout the length of the 1,682m bridge, it will be divided into ten sections representing the 10 centuries (1010-2010) of Ha Noi, each section brought to life by diverse art forms, antiquities and costumes, representing the lifestyles of the people of the time.

"Long Bien Bridge is alive," said Nga. "It's not only in the memory of Hanoians, but it is also the bridge of the resistance, the bridge of pains and sufferings, the bridge of happiness, the bridge of loves, and the bridge of peace and freedom.

"It's the flesh and the blood of the Hanoians, an umbilical cord between past and present, between Ha Noi, the country, and the world."

For the festival, the bridge will be divided into three areas. The eastbound side of the bridge (the northern span) will become the Bridge of Memories and will symbolise people of courage. The eastbound side (the southern span) will be decorated with the flags of 70 countries and territories and animated by street performers. Symbolising peace and friendship, this side will be called "The Bridge of Dreams".

The highlight of the festival will be a concert and light show on the bridge on Sunday, to be broadcast live on television. Two musical pieces composed by French musicians as gifts for the Long Bien Festival – On the Long Bien Bridge and See Ha Noi – will be presented by artists from Viet Nam National Academy of Music and the Flonflons troupe from France and Belgium.

The festival's general director, People's Artist Le Hung, said, "The designer of Long Bien Bridge is also the designer of the Eiffel Tower, which is a world-famous tourist attraction, so why we can't turn Long Bien Bridge into a bridge for tourism? The festival was initiated with that goal in mind, so I agreed to be the general director of the event."

During the event, the organising board will also raise funds for flood victims in the central region. — VNS

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Rare documents archivist honoured

HA NOI — Historical researcher Phan Thuan An has received a commemorative insignia for his archiving career presented by the State Records and Archives Department of Viet Nam.

"National Archives Centre 1 has carried out the arrangement and stored all the rare documents provided by Phan Thuan An," said department's director, Vu Thi Minh Huong.

An has provided two original records and 86 copies of records of the reign of King Bao Dai (1926-1945), some of which detail the past sovereignty of the national sea and islands.

At present, An is the only Hue researcher whose name is listed in the Wikipedia Encyclopedia. His studies have been translated into many languages and stored in international libraries.

A similar insignia will also be given to Pham Van Khoi, who is storing 15 royal conferments under the Nguyen dynasty.

Miss Earth proceeds go to flood victims

BINH THUAN — The organising board of Miss Earth 2010 has decided to donate nearly VND2 billion (US$100,000) to the flood victims of the central provinces, including Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, and Quang Nam.

During the traditional costume night, contest representatives gave VND300 million ($15,300) to flood victims. The rest will be given during the gala nights held in Nha Trang, Phu Yen and Quang Nam.

No charge to view historical movies

HA NOI — Four historical films will be shown for free to celebrate the Viet Nam Fatherland Front's 80th birthday.

The movies, namely Sai Gon Liberation, The White Silk Dress, Don't Burn and The Fate of a Songstress in Thang Long, all focus on war and ethnic solidarity. They will be shown daily at 8pm from November 18 to 21 in the National Cinema Centre.

Environment films to be awarded

HA NOI — The best films about the environment will be awarded at the 4th National Environment Film Awards in December.

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in co-operation with Viet Nam Television and the Viet Nam Cinematography Association launched the awards held every three years.

The films have been in the works since 2008 and fall into various categories like documentary, science, reporting, cartoon and feature films.

A special prize, Geen Viet Nam, and many others, will be awarded. — VNS

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Long Bien Bridge Festival this weekend

After numerous delays, the Long Bien Bridge Festival will take place on November 20 and 21, reports VietnamPlus.

The street festival will be themed “The dragon bridge tells the Thang Long-Hanoi story – The bridge of peace, integration and development.”

The main festival event will be the arrival of dragon boats from Ninh Binh Province on Hoa Lu River on their way to Ha Long Bay. There will be performances on the boats.

The bridge will have two different themes: the bridge of memory and the bridge of dreams.

The bridge of memory section featuring exhibitions and displays about the national victory and traditional costumes and artifacts will be in the outbound lanes from Hoan Kiem District to Gia Lam District.

In the inbound lanes of the bridge from Gai Lam District to Hoan Kiem District, the dreams section will feature exhibitions about the era of integration and development and an artist camp and art related to the theme Green Globe.

The organizers encourage festival goers to dress up in traditional costumes to make the spirit more celebratory. There will also be collections for flood victims in the central region.

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French photojournalist shows two decades of Hanoi

A photo of Long Bien Bridge by Nicolas Cornet at the exhibition in Hanoi that opens on November 23

French photo-journalist Nicolas Cornet is holding a retrospective exhibition of photographs at L’Espace – French Cultural Center in Hanoi from November 23 until December 10.

The exhibition, held during French Week, features 30 photos from Cornet’s latest book titled “Hanoi”. The book covers 23 years of photojournalist’s work in the capital.

Cornet’s photos of landscapes and people show how the city has changed in two decades.

He has worked with French newspapers and magazines including L’Espresso, Mare, D-La Repubblica, Le Figaro Magazine, Le Monde, Ulysse, Siete Leguas-El Mundo and Geo and published many photo books about Vietnam such as Khi binh minh lo dang (When the dawn comes), Chan dung Viet Nam (The portrait of Vietnam) and Sai Gon, mien dat mong tuong (Saigon – a dreamy land) among others. His photos have been displayed in France, Germany, Switzerland, Indonesia and Vietnam.

The introduction for Nicolas Cornet’s photo book was written by journalist Jean-Claude Pomonti who was awarded the Albert-Londres prize for his reports about the Vietnam War. Pomonti has written books about Vietnam, among them a book about Vietnamese spy Pham Xuan An named Un Vietnamien bien tranquille (2006).

Nicolas Cornet and Jean-Claude Pomonti will present a talk on the opening day of French Week at 7 p.m. on November 23.

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Comedian Nguyen Hanh dies

The much loved comedian, Nguyen Hanh (R), who passed away on Saturday

Comedian Nguyen Hanh passed away at the age of 70 at Hospital 115 last week after a long struggle with diabetes, heart and kidney disease, reports Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper.

Nguyen Hanh performed in many cai luong (Southern opera) and drama troupes including Kim Hoang Nhu Mai, Bich Thuan, Kim Cuong, Song Tuy Hong and Tham Thuy Hang among others. Hanh also played in two movies named Loan mat nhung of Cosunams Film Studio and Sau gio gioi nghiem (After curfew) of My Van Film Studio.

Hanh was known by many fans for his role as Tu van nghe in the television drama Gia dinh ong Ky (Mr. Ky’s family) with actors Tam Van, Kim Cuc, Minh Chanh and Tu Trinh.

After South Liberation Day on April 30, 1975, he joined Bong Hong Theater Company and No. 284 Cai luong troupe where he took part in famous pieces such as Doi Co Luu (The life of Ms. Luu), To Anh Nguyet, Pha Le va Cat Bui (Crystal and Dust) and Nhung vi sao khong ten (Nameless stars). Audiences especially loved his role in the drama Ngao so oc hen of the Sai Gon 1 Stage. His last stage role was as a showman in Than tuong nua dem (Midnight idol) by playwright, Thu An. 

In his personal life, Hanh was known for his optimism and sense of humor and his readiness to teach young actors. Most comedians at Saigon Drama Stage and Nu cuoi moi stage called him their father. Hanh’s work and devotion will be a lesson for generations of young artists.

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Festival to celebrate Delta's ‘Plain of Reeds'

Blossoming future: A farmer works in the Sa Dec Flower Village, one of the sites for the upcoming festival to celebrate the Plain of Reeds. — VNA/VNS Photo Duy Khuong

HCM CITY — Dong Thap Province plans to organise the biggest ever festival in the Mekong Delta region to mark the 30th anniversary of the Dong Thap Muoi (Plain of Reeds) sub-region.

As many as 500 booths in the ornamental plant and trade festival will feature various products and activities. They will review the achievements of the region during the past 30 years and promote tourism in the area.

Besides showcasing beautiful trees, flowers and bonsai creations, several conferences will be held on developing the Dong Thap Muoi region and promoting investment in the Mekong Delta. Several contests will also be part of the December 1-5 festival in Cao Lanh city.

Le Minh Hoan, deputy secretary of the province's Party Committee, said the festival will honour the economic social, cultural achievements of the region that has great potential for tourism.

The province expects to attract more domestic and foreign tourists to the area, especially through eco-friendly tours. Hoan said one of the important events during the festival would be the opening ceremony of the Nguyen Sinh Sac historical site.

The site comprises the village and tomb of the late President Ho Chi Minh's father, Nguyen Sinh Sac.

According to organisers, ecological tours to the Sa Dec Flower Village and other beautiful destinations in the province will promoted during the festival.

Thirty years ago, when the Dong Thap Muoi region spanned the three provinces of Long An, Tien Giang and Dong Thap, it was a fallow marsh famous for its lotus blooms.

Agriculture was even then the region's mainstay, with the three provinces that comprise it being top exporters of rice in the country, according to local officials.

Of late, however, tourism, industry and trade are being developed in the region. — VNS

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