Exhibition features border, island sovereignty

An exhibition featuring Vietnam’s border, sea and island sovereignty is taking place in the northern mountainous province of Lang Son from July 30 – August 10.

Organised by the provincial Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism, the event showcases nearly 400 images, documentary films and artifacts, which provide the public an insight into the roles and strategic position of the country’s border areas, seas and islands, especially among young people.

The event is also expected to boost patriotism, great national unity and determination to defend national sovereignty.

Vietnamese photographer wins fashion contest prize

Vietnamese photographer An Le beat 500 other candidates from different countries to win the grand prize at the New Exposure Fashion Photography Contest that was held in mid-July in New York City.

The contest, organised by Vogue fashion magazine, aims to pinpoint key emerging talents in the fashion photography field and help to advance their careers.

22 year-old An Le who graduated earlier this year from the US's Sannavah College of Art and Design won the prize for his collection titled The Sea. The collection takes viewers through the story of an old fisherman who found a huge egg lying by the sea out of which hatched a beautiful woman.

"Whenever I take photo of an object or a landscape, a woman or a man, I want my photos to rouse strong emotions in the audience," said Le.

"I love literature and have always been inspired by the beauty of language and the metaphors, the symbols, motifs, etc., so I always try to integrate those elements into my photography. It is not so much about a specific message I want to convey to the viewers through my work but rather the experience and thoughts that they have when looking at the photographs," he added.

Le will receive a US$50,000 prize that includes a RED Epic-X camera package, a one-year mentorship with Management Artists photography agency, and the chance to shoot a project for Italian fashion house Bottega Veneta.

A native from HCM City, Le moved to the US by himself when he was 15 years old to pursue his dream of becoming an artist. His photos will be published exclusively this month in Viet Nam's Dep (Beautiful) fashion magazine, where he has worked as a freelancer for several years.

Efforts to modernize ethnic houses frowned on

Though the local government has built 4 modern Rong houses with sheet-metal roofs, the Xe Dang ethnic people at Van Xuoi commune in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum refuse to use them as they prefer the traditional kind with bamboo and thatched roofs.

Cao Minh Hai, the commune’s Party Committee Secretary, said the province paid VND80 million (VN$4,000) to build the 4 tin-roof Rong houses. However, during the last three years, local residents refused to use the 4 modern communal houses and instead donated their own money to construct 2 other traditional Rong houses with bamboo and thatched roofs.

This is not the first time the Kon Tum government has encountered obstacles in modernizing local ethnic peoples’ communal houses. In May, the Ba Na ethnic people in Kontum Kơnâm Village in Thong Nhat Ward, Kon Tum Province were disappointed to hear that their communal Rong house’s thatched roof would replaced by tin panels.

Explaining for the replacement, Nong Hong Cong, chairman of Thong Nhat People’s Committee, said the locality decided to use a tin roof since the traditional thatched roof is not durable.

“A traditional thatched roof can only be used for just five to seven years,” he said.

“A Rong house with a metal roof is not a traditional Ba Na communal house,” A Hiuh, a villager, expressed her disagreement.

Rong house is a special type of stilt houses which is much more spacious with imposing traditional beauty. The communal house, which is a cultural symbol of Central Highlanders is where most of the community activities such as meeting, wedding ceremonies, praying ceremonies take place. It is also the place for welcoming guests.

VNN/VNA/VNS/ND/Tuoi Tre