Ngo Quang Nam’s watercolours exhibited in Hanoi

Thirty-five watercolour paintings by Ngo Quang Nam are on display at the Korean Cultural Centre in Hanoi until September 20.

Ngo Quang Nam’s work depicts diverse and dynamic daily life and the beauty of the land and people of Vietnam in various traditional Vietnamese materials like “do” (papyrus) , cardboard and silk.

Though Ngo Quang Nam specialised in oil painting and has produced hundreds of oil and lacquer paintings, he is showcasing his watercolours in this exhibition.

“Watercolour painting is quite difficult, requiring the painter to master shapes and colours, and it is really distinctive compared to other materials”, said Ngo Quang Nam.

The works on display range from paintings done in 1964 such as ’The Dawn’ and ’Cam Pha Coal Mine’ to works from this year like ’Spring Palms’ and ’Yen stream – Huong pagoda’.

“ The art lovers of Vietnam and Korea can enjoy the unique, impressive, simple yet sophisticated paintings, and feel the cultural similarities between Vietnam and Korea through Ngo Quang Nam’s artworks”, said Keum Gi Hyung, Director of the Korean Cultural Centre in Vietnam.

Ngo Quang Nam was born on 1942 in Vinh Phu province, later studying and graduating from the Academy of Fine Art in Prague, Czechoslovakia. He was Head of the Administrative Office and the Fine Arts and Photography Department of the Ministry of Culture and Information.

He has participated in many exhibitions in Europe, Asia and the America and won a number of prizes such as first prize at the Fine Arts Academy in Prague in 1973 and Vietnam’s Hung Vuong prize in 1985.

Photos capture beauty of Hue ancient imperial city

More than 400 entries to the ‘New Looks at Hue’ photography competition are now on display at an exhibition at No. 26 Le Loi street in Hue city.

The photos capture the beauty of the life, people, tourist sites and architecture of Hue city as well as its vitality.

The competition, launched by the Thua Thien – Hue provincial Union of Literature and Arts Associations and the provincial Photography Association, attracted works by 55 photographers from 14 cities and provinces across the country.

Nguyen Duc Tri from Thua Thien – Hue province won the first prize for his photograph entitled ‘Goc Vuon Hue’ (A Garden Corner in Hue).

Another photo of his called ‘Dem Xu Hue’ (Night in Hue) shared the second prize with ‘Qua Khu Mot Trieu Dai’ (Remnants of a Dynasty) by Nguyen Quang Tuan from Hanoi.

Three third and five consolation prizes were also presented to other artists.

The exhibition will run through September 15.

Vietnam Stage Day to be marked in Ho Chi Minh City

The Vietnam Stage Day, the 12th day of the eighth lunar month, will be marked on September 9 with a variety of activities and musical performances to take place at the Military Theatre in Ho Chi Minh City.

The day is a once a year chance for artists across the country to get together, and pay tribute to the theatre’s ancestors who laid the foundation for the national art forms and contributed to their development through the years.

The event is highlighted with a performance scheduled at 8.30 pm featuring various forms of theatre to express the current generation’s respect and gratitude to the ancestors.

During the day, an exhibition will be held at the Military Hall displaying photographs of theatrical artists and activities, and showcasing a variety of musical instruments used in the theatre.

The event, organised by the city’s Theatre Association, will be broadcast live on Ho Chi Minh City Television Channel 1 (HTV1) beginning at 8.30 pm.

HCMC to build more entertainment parks for children  

Ho Chi Minh City has declared 2011 as ‘Year for children’ and the city has plans to build 10 new amusement parks for children during the year, but concerns are now being raised as many of the parks are still not complete.   

The city planned to build recreation parks for children in Tao Dan, Le Van Tam in district 1, Gia Dinh in district Phu Nhuan, Le Thi Rieng in district 10, Phu Lam in district 6 and Go Vap and in the suburban districts of Binh Chanh, Nha Be, and Can Gio.

Construction on three of the parks is complete and children are already using the playgrounds for fun activities in districts 6, Binh Chanh and Nha Be.

Such parks are a boon for parents who can take their children to enjoy activities in the park without having to spend any money.

One mother in the suburban district of Binh Chanh, said since the recreation area opened, her children were having a whale of a time by amusing themselves and she was able to save more than VND100,000 each month.

Recently, Hua Ngoc Thuan, deputy chairman of HCMC People’s Committee admitted that the construction progress on the remaining playgrounds was very slow and ordered relevant agencies to speed up the process.

Worries are also growing on the maintenance of these amusement parks, as some of them have already been downgraded very shortly after construction. One free amusement park built in district Binh Chanh 9 year ago is in a complete state of neglect now.

People are wondering whether the other parks will meet the same fate. Some believe that they will be well maintained as the city has called for 30 percent contributions for their construction.

Investors will be able to maintain the playgrounds. Nevertheless, the public continues to be concerned as all recreation facilities are outdoors, without protection from rain and the elements.

Currently, the city has around 1.7 million children, who all need playgrounds and amusement areas. The city that takes care of its children also must pay heed to their growing-up stage. Hence a lot of attention must be given to the maintenance as well as the construction of such spaces or the entire effort will go waste.
 
Charity concert in aid of eye surgeries for poor Vietnamese  

A charity concert featuring pianist Higuchi Ayuko from Japan will mark the 10th anniversary of free eye-surgery camps organized by Japanese doctor Hattori Tadashi, at the Park Hyatt Hotel in HCMC on October 1.

The concert will raise funds for eye operations for poor Vietnamese patients and also to help the tsunami victims in Japan.

Doctor Hattori Tadashi has done free eye operations on more than 10,000 poor Vietnamese patients since 2002. He has mobilized sponsors and dedicated his own personal money to fund eye surgeries and to train Vietnamese doctors.

Dr. Hattori practices in Japan but has been to Viet Nam 40 times over the years. He was awarded the medal of merit in 2007, by the Vietnamese Ministry of Health for his contribution in the prevention of blindness in Vietnam.

41 year old Jiguchi Ayuko, is a famous pianist in Japan. She was introduced to the piano at the tender age of 5 and joined the Kansai Symphony Orchestra when she was only 9 years old.

She has won several music awards such as the first prize at the 39th Music Festival in Japan, a gold medal at the 17th Japanese Piano Festival PTNA in 1985 and the first prize at the 10th Porto International Piano Contest.

She studied music at the Toho-Kyoto Music University and then continued to study at the Paris Music Academy with a scholarship from the Meiji Yashdu Culture Fund, graduating in 1997. Higuchi Ayuko has given many solo performances in many countries across the globe.

Tickets for the concert are priced at US$100 per person.

Bong Sen Theatre celebrates jubilee with special concert  

The traditional Bong Sen (Lotus) Song and Dance Theatre will celebrate its 50th jubilee anniversary with a special concert at the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House on September 11.  

Many generations of artists who have made outstanding contributions to the theatre will join the event, such as People’s Artist Phuong Bao, Meritorious Artists To Lan Phuong, Do Loc, Tuan Phong, Quang Ly, Tran Chinh, Ai Xuan, Tuyet Mai, Anh Tuyet, singers Cam Van, Cao Minh, Nhat Sinh and dancers Linh Nga, Bach Van, Trung Hieu, Khanh Toan and Thuy Van.

The 150-minute concert titled “Lotus in the city” will include a documentary of the theatre, introduction of artists, singing and dance performances such as “Lotus in the city”, “Vietnamese drum”, “The boat and the sea”, “Unforgettable song” and “The lotus bloom season.”

Marking this special occasion, a special dance performance entitled “Lotus” featuring Linh Nga, one of the country’s most famous dancers, will take place on September 17 in Ho Chi Minh City.

The 90-minute performance will present to audiences a spectacular dance and melody show of images from Vietnamese villages and of pure and beautiful lotus flowers showing the spirit of the Vietnamese people.

More than 60 dancers and artists from the Bong Sen traditional song and dance theatre together with meritorious artists Vuong Linh and Dang Hung, director Tat My Loan, fashion designer Minh Hanh and flute player Nhat Minh will join the show.

Linh Nga is the daughter of the famous dance couple Đang Hung and Vuong Linh. She has been studying dance in China since she was 12.

The special dance performance entitled “Lotus” featuring Linh Nga, has already been held in Hanoi and Hai Phong in August.

Paintings of Sapa on show at city exhibition

Painter To Ngoc Thanh’s works depicting the mountain town of Sapa are on display at an exhibition that opened in Ho Chi Minh City Saturday.

“Impressions of Sapa” features 34 oil paintings on the town’s beautiful landscapes and traditional customs and daily lives of its people.

Thanh, who began to paint at the age of four, traveled extensively around the town and its surroundings since 2000 even when he had to undergo treatment for colon cancer.

"The most precious thing for humans is living. I can only live once. I need to live well to not regret the time I have wasted.”

In recent years he has spent more time in Sapa than Hanoi, where he lives.
The exhibition at the Tu Do Gallery, 53 Ho Tung Mau, District 1 will go on until September 28.

Da Lat revives native wild flowers

Da Lat has started to grow back various types of native wild flowers that used to thrive in the city years ago before the import of foreign varieties.

One type is wild roses. The city said it would distribute at least 30,000 wild rose seedlings free of charge to local farmers.

Bui Trung Duong, director of Dalat City Urban Service Ltd. Co., which is in charge of these seedlings, said his company would continue to multiply this flower.

Another plan is grow native wild flowers on a one-hectare hill in the Dalat Garden. Under the plan, the Wild Flowers Hill will be covered with various wild species such as dandelion, five-colored flower or da quy, and wild fern.

Phan Van Tam, vice director of the garden said the garden’s nursery now has thousands of wild plants which will bloom and cover the hill in the middle of this month.

When finished, the hill promises to be a brand-new destination for tourists at the Dalat Flowers Festival 2012 that will be held from December 30 to January 3 next year.

PV