Best sculptures displayed at national exhibition

A national sculpture exhibition opened at the Hanoi Museum on December 11 to showcase the best works created by local artists over the past ten years.

On the display are 286 works of 230 sculptors, including the eldest Dinh Ru (76), and the youngest Quoc Tien (22), both from Ho Chi Minh City. They were made from various kinds of materials, including bronze, stone, wood, steel, and iron, and arranged in the form of installation art.

The exhibits show a burning desire for creativeness and innovation to enhance their traditional values in the globalization process.

The organizing board has given 21 first prizes, two second prizes, four third prizes, and 15 consolation prizes on the occasion.

Russia, Vietnam boost literature exchange

Russian and Vietnamese literature lovers will have a chance to indulge their passion for five books featuring the two countries’ famous literature works which were made public in Hanoi in both language on December 10.

The publication is part of a literature translation project jointly carried out by the Vietnam-Russia Literature Fund, the The Gioi (World) Publisher,  Literature Publishing House of Vietnam and the Lokid Premium Publishing House of Russia as from 2012.

Yu. Lavrenev, Director of the Hanoi-based Russian Centre for Science and Culture described the publication of the books as a symbol of close-knit friendship between Vietnam and Russia.

The five books include “Stepantsikovo village and residents” translated into Vietnamese by Vo Minh Phuc, “The Insulted and Humiliated” translated by Anh Ngoc, “The last war” translated by Dao Minh Hiep, “Marian Tkachev-Talented and Wholehearted Friend” edited by Thuy Toan and Pham Cu, and “Butterfly Fairy” translated into Russian by Inna Zinionina.

Mural painting exhibition in Hanoi

A mural painting exhibition in the name of “Abilight” by the Hitotzuki team will open at the Japan Foundation for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam on December 14 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Japan.

Their distinctive world-view stems from the fluid interaction between the dynamically flowing curves fashioned by Kami, and the strong and flamboyant symmetric motifs engineered by Sasu who are co-founders of Hitotzuki in 1999 as an artistic collaboration.

“Abilight” is a new word deriving from “Ability” and “Light”. It conveys a positive message to the Vietnamese visitors to share feelings about the future.

A wide range of products designed by Hitotzuki including T shirts, bags, caps, skateboards, watches and cups also be displayed at the opening ceremony with the participation of dancers from Vietnam Youth Theatre performing in dresses which bear similarity to the colour and design of the mural paintings.

14 new special national relics unveiled

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has signed a decision recognizing 14 sites as special national relics.

They are:

1.     Truong Son – Ho Chi Minh Road located in the provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang BInh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Binh Phuoc).

2.     Hai Ba Trung Temple (in Hanoi’s Me Linh district)

3.     Hat Mon Temple historic relic (in Hanoi’s Phuc Tho district)

4.     Tran dynasty historic relic (in Quang Ninh’s Dong Trieu district)

5.     Tran Hung Dao forest (in Cao Bang province’s Nguyen Binh district)

6.     Ben Hai wharf and Hien Luong bridge (Vinh Linh and Gio Linh districts, Quang Tri province)

7.     Quang Tri ancient citadel and locations to celebrate the incident of 81 days and nights in 1972 (Quang Tri’s Hai Lang and Trieu Phong districts)

8.     Chuong Thien victory site (in Hau Giang’s Vi Thanh city and Long My district)

9.     Phu Dong Temple architecture and historic site (in Hanoi’s Gia Lam district)

10.  Hoan Kiem lake and Ngoc Son Temple historic relics (Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi)

11.  Tay Dang Temple architecture site in (Hanoi’s Ba Vi district)

12.  But Thap Pagoda architecture site (Bac Ninh’s Thuan Thanh district)

13.  Dau pagoda architecture site (Bac Ninh’s Thuan Thanh district)

14.  Cat Ba archipelago (in Hai Phong’s Cat Hai district)

Vietnam now has a total of 48 special national relics.

Literature brings Vietnam, Russia closer

Lovers of Russian and Vietnamese literature will have a chance to indulge their passion as five books featuring the two countries’ famous literature works in both languages were made public in Hanoi on December 10.

The publication of the books is part of a literature translation project jointly carried out by the Vietnam-Russia Literature Fund, the The Gioi (world) Publisher and the Literature Publishing House of Vietnam and Russia ’s Lokid Premium Publishing House from 2012.

Addressing the event, Director of the Hanoi-based Russian Centre for Science and Culture Yu. Lavrenev referred the publication of the books as one of the symbols of the close friendship and positive development between Vietnam and Russia .

Sharing his views, Hoang Thuy Toan, who made major contribution to the translation of the books, said the project aims to consolidate the sentiment and mutual understanding between the two peoples while deepening their cultural linkage.

The five books include “Stepantsikovo village and residents” translated into Vietnamese by Vo Minh Phuc, “The Insulted and Humiliated” translated by Anh Ngoc, “The last war” translated by Dao Minh Hiep, “Marian Tkachev-Talented and Wholehearted Friend” edited by Thuy Toan and Pham Cu, and “Butterfly Fairy” translated into Russian by Inna Zinionina.-

Military History Museum’s relocation under review

The Steering Committee for the construction of a new facility for the Vietnam Military History Museum on December 9 held a meeting in Hanoi to review its work during 2013 and map out orientations for next year.

The museum, which is currently sited in the centre of Hanoi and boasts around 150,000 objects and documents, will be relocated to an area of 74.3 hectares in Dai Mo commune, Tu Liem district, Hanoi.

A number of research and fact-finding tours have been carried out in both local and foreign museums to serve the project.

The committee has drafted an integrated scheme on designing the museum’s architecture as well as forms of display and its content, which was submitted to the Ministry of National Defence for approval.

At the same time, it plans to increase the number of exhibits, digitalise documents and focus on human resources training.

The museum, previously known as the Army Museum, was founded in 1956 and opened to the public three years later. It was named the Vietnam Army Museum Academy in 1964, and renamed the Vietnam Military History Museum in 2002.

It has so far received more than 17 million visitors, including foreigners from more than 150 countries.

With its unique objects and materials, the museum has become a cultural and historical centre and a popular destination among local and overseas tourists.-

Ha Tinh Province honors Chau Van ritual

A ceremony honoring Chau Van (spiritual singing) ritual and to award the Gold Prize to medium Ngo Thanh Can was held by the UNESCO Association for Conservation of Vietnamese Ethnic Culture on December 10.

Medium Ngo Thanh Can won the gold prize for research on Chau Van ritual, organized by the Vietnam Federation of UNESCO Associations at Tien Son Historical and Cultural Relic in Ha Tinh Province in May.

On the occasion, the UNESCO Association for Conservation of Vietnamese Ethnic Culture will do a research on seven mediums in Ha Tinh and Nghe An Provinces.

Chau Van, also known as Hat Van and Hat Bong, originates from the Red River Delta and the northern province of Nam Dinh. It is a religious form of art which combines singing and dancing that is often performed in the Hau Dong ritual of the religion ‘Four Palaces’ or the Mother Goddess and Saint Tran (Tran Hung Dao).

Chau Van was created during the Tran Dynasty (1225-1400) and Nam Dinh Province is considered its birthplace.

The highly rhythmic and trance-oriented form of singing often takes place during rituals to honour the Mother Goddess and connect with other gods. It is performed mostly at temples and pagodas.

The music and poetry performed in the folk art are mingled with a variety of rhythms, pauses, tempos, stresses and pitches. The genre has also adopted folk songs from the highlands of the north, center and south.

The latest recognition helps preserve and promote the historical and cultural values of the heritage and will help the province as it tries to persuade the Prime Minister to recognise Phu Day as a national special relic site and UNESCO to acknowledge the Chau Van ritual as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Lam Dong Culture - Tourism Week

The 2013 Culture – Tourism Week, featuring a series of special activities, will take place in Da Lat city, Lam Dong province from December 27-31.

Guests will enjoy three major events, including the fifth Da Lat flower festival, a ceremony to mark the 120th year of Da Lat’s establishment and development and an announcement ceremony of the Central Highlands – Da Lat National Tourism Year 2014, said the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism and Lam Dong provincial People’s Committee at a press conference yesterday in Hanoi.

Tourists to the event will also have an opportunity to enjoy a series of activities, such as a display on Da Lat’s flowers and bonsai, an exhibition on ‘The Woodblocks of the Nguyen Dynasty-World Documentary Heritage’, a seminar on Da Lat’s flowers and tourism, the 2013 Da Lat flowers carnival and a Central Highlands artistic program.

The organising board is preparing the best conditions for the 2013 Culture – Tourism Week.

The 2013 Culture-Tourism Week is a great chance for Da Lat City and the Central Highlands’ provinces to promote tourism and introduce the cultural heritage and beauty of their land to domestic and international visitors.

Source: VNS/VNA/VOV/SGGP/ND