Photographers make Who's Who list



Four Vietnamese photographers have made the worldwide Who's Who in Photography list for last year, announced by the Photographic Society of America (PSA).

The photographers, who were required to have entered at least 10 exhibitions last year to be eligible for the annual list, are Dao Tien Dat, Tran Phong, Le Hong Linh and Ho Anh Tien.

Dao Tien Dat, from the central province of Binh Dinh, ranks second in the small black-and-white category while Le Hong Linh from HCM City is 14th.

Tran Phong from Gia Lai ranks fourth and 14th in the digital and photo travel divisions respectively.

Ho Anh Tien is 12th in the colour photo category.

Details can be found on the website www.psa-photo.org

Last year, three Vietnamese photographers made the 2010 list.

Sacrificed buffalo skeleton found at Cultural Heritage site

An animal skeleton found at the Nam Giao worshipping platform in Thanh Hoa central province is believed to be the first such discovery in the history of archaeology in Viet Nam.

The undamaged buffalo skeleton was uncovered by Vietnamese archaeologists at the Ho Citadel in Vinh Loc Commune.

Vu The Long, of the Viet Nam Institute of Archaeology, said the find was a big surprise for scientists as nothing similar had been found at the worshipping platforms of different dynasties across the country.

The fact the buffalo skeleton was buried directly underneath the biggest surrounding wall of the Nam Giao platform led scientists to believe it was sacrificed when Royal Mandarin Ho Quy Ly ordered the platform built in 1402, Long said.

The buffalo was sacrificed and then buried underneath the platform wall, he said.

After scientific research, the skeleton will be restored for display at the Ho Citadel, which was recognised as a World's Cultural Heritage last year by UNESCO.

Vietnam-China singing contest launched

The third Vietnam-China Friendship Singing Contest was launched in China’s Beijing and Guangxi province and Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province on May 19.    

The event is being co-organized by the Quang Ninh Radio and Television Station, VTC Digital Television, Guangxi Radio and TV station, and China Radio International (CRI).

It aims to strengthen the time-honoured relationship and promote mutual understanding among young people of the two neighbouring countries.

This year’s event is expected to draw the participation of students and young people who play a key role in boosting bilateral ties.

The 18 best contestants will be selected for the final round, scheduled to take place in Guangxi this November, where they will perform song in both Chinese and Vietnamese.

Folk paintings on show in Lang Son

Nearly 78 folk paintings from the collection of the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum are being displayed in the northern province of Lang Son from May 18-30.     

Visitors to the exhibition will learn more about various genres of Vietnamese folk painting including Dong Ho (from Bac Ninh), Hang Trong (Hanoi), and Kim Hoang (the former Ha Tay, now Hanoi), as well as other types especially for religious purposes such as Vu Di (from Vinh Phuc), Doc Loi (Nghe An) and art from the Nung, Tay, and Dao ethnic groups.

Do Quoc Viet, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, said the exhibition will bring local people closer to traditional national art through paintings illustrating daily life activities, agricultural production and the Lunar New Year Festival.

The event is held jointly by the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum and the Lang Son provincial People’s Committee to mark the 122nd birthday of President Ho Chi Minh  (May 19) and International Museum Day (May 18).

Lingerie model criticized for outspokenness again

Since 2011, Ngoc Trinh has become a phenomenon, among one of the most scandalous names in show business.

Lingerie and bikini model Ngoc Trinh, who once caused a storm of public outrage after she talked about her luxurious life and financial help from her boyfriend last year, has continued to fuel a heated discussion with her perspective on the influence that money has on love.

"Love without money? Can you survive by gnawing dirt?” the model has stunned readers with her frank statement in a recent interview.

“It’s obvious to people like me. My job is not stable so I can’t take care of my life,” she added.

Like her famously outspoken statement earlier “It costs a lot to love me,” the beauty explains that the reason she always chooses to love rich men is that she had a poor childhood.

“Poverty is a nightmare to me. People look down on you when you’re penniless. When I was a child, I thought I must be rich in the future,” Trinh said.

“However, a relationship requires love from both sides. If it’s all about money, I will do other things to be richer. Modeling is a job full of temptation,” she added.

Many people call her a “material” girl while others praise her honesty and frankness.

Also in the interview, the 22-year-old girl added fuel to the fire by expressing her pride in depending absolutely on her man.

“Everyone wants to be independent, but what can I do if I can’t be independent? If the money I earn can’t even buy me a bag, how can I take care of my family? I depend on my man and I feel comfortable and luckier than other women,” she expressed happily.

“Even when I’m jobless, I can still have a good life since I’ve got my boyfriend to take care of me,” she said. “I’m satisfied being a docile cat by my man’s side.”

The beauty also said confidently that her fortune teller told her she had an enjoyable life, and she couldn’t be independent even if she wanted to be.

The model from the southern province of Tra Vinh has created a public outcry due to her perspective on how a good woman is.

“What I can do best is being nice in love. I believe in whatever he says without question since I don’t understand his job and I receive everything he gives without any requirements for more,” she explained.

“Beautiful women are countless, but it’s hard to find a woman who is both pretty and good mannered. Men need pretty, nice and faithful women. They don’t care if women are talented or good at work.”

Through the talk, the model recalled a time she was depressed because of many scandals.

“I cried a lot, but my friends told me that people just throw rocks at things that shine. Then I woke up and told myself that I have to live my life my own way,” she shared.

Ngoc Trinh on the stage of the fashion show titled “Dem Hoi Chan Dai” (Long-legged Festival) in HCMC on May 15.

In 2011, Ngoc Trinh became a phenomenon, among one of the most scandalous names in show business.

The “Ngoc Trinh storm” has spread in the online community since last July, the model gave an interview to “Mot and Cuoc Song” women’s magazine about her extravagant life with expensive cars and brand name handbags.

One month later, Trinh won Miss Vietnam Continents, a beauty contest held for the first time in the US to crown Vietnamese women from around the world. The triumph was controversial as many said her educational background and record of social activities did not fit the usual profile of a pageant winner. The show was also heavily criticized for its sloppy organization and shallow social message.

In October, her name was in the headlines of many newswires again, when a photo album featuring a look-alike in erotic poses in a hotel room was leaked on the Internet.

Vietnamese solidarity and friendship festival opens in France

A solidarity and friendship festival was held in Paris on May 19 with the participation of 50 French organizations, and Vietnamese residents in France to mark President Ho Chi Minh’s 122nd birthday anniversary.

This was the first meeting initiated by the Vietnamese Embassy in France with the aim of linking French organisations with the Vietnamese community.

At the opening ceremony, Choisy-le-Roi mayor, Daniel Davisse, thanked the Vietnamese Embassy for choosing his city to organize the festival which, he said, will help strengthen cooperation between his city and Vietnam. He expressed his hope that his country’s new government headed by President Francois Hollande will provide fresh impetus for maintaining good relations between the two countries.

For his part, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Duong Chi Dung said the event offered a good chance for the two countries to boost solidarity.

He stressed that Vietnam has entered a new development period, and solidarity activities between Vietnam and international friends will open a broader vision in line with the country’s socio-economic development priorities from now until 2020.

The festival focused on three themes, such as humanity: solidarity for Agent Orange victims; health; and sustainable development: strengthening education and environmental protection.

Hanoi to host Sunday Family Concert next month

The Sunday Family Concert, featuring Japanese conductor Honna Tetsuji, MC & Narrator Dao Mai Anh and the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, will play Hanoi June 10.

According to a press release from the orchestra this week, the concert will include Peter and Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev, J. Sebelius’s Symphonic Poem “Filandia”, and a conducting corner.

Tickets cost VND150,000, 250,000, and 300,000.

Tickets are available at the Hanoi Opera House – 1 Trang Tien Street, and the Workers' Theater – 42 Trang Tien Street. They can also be booked online at www.ticketvn.com or via email at ticketvn@gmail.com.

For free delivery call 0913489858, 0983067996, 35651806, 66617859. $0 $0The concert will be held at the Workers' Theater from 10am to 2pm.