Treasured ancient Han – Nom documents on display

An exhibition showcasing ancient documents written in Han Chinese and Nom scripts (Chinese transcribed Vietnamese) opened at the Thua Thien Hue provincial Library on March 22.

On display are 15 sets of documents, 50 original manuscripts and 24 royal decrees as well as the digitised versions of hundreds of pages of documents, including family annals, textbooks, medical books, royal ordinances and administrative papers.

The exhibition also featured a copy of ‘Kim Van Kieu Truyen’ (The Story of Kim Van Kieu) printed in 1866 and the three-volume history of the Nguyen dynasty, the country’s last feudal regime. The book, which was compiled in the reign of King Dong Khanh, has recently been successfully restored by the Ho Chi Minh City General Sciences Library.

On the occasion, 18 collectives, families and individuals were awarded CD-ROMs of digitised Han – Nom documents for their contribution in collecting the treasures.

A symposium on digitisation and restoration of Han – Nom documents was held on the same day, attracting many scientists and cultural researchers.

The two events, held jointly by the Hue Library, Ho Chi Minh City General Sciences Library and Hue Museum, aims to raise people’s awareness of the need to preserve Han – Nom documents, the country’s valuable heritage.

Canada to promote national cuisine in Hanoi

A seven-day cuisine exhibition titled Flavors of Canada showcasing the best of Canadian food will open tonight at Tay Ho Restaurant in Hanoi.

The event, held by the Canadian Embassy in Vietnam, will feature a variety of Canadian wine and dishes made from seafood and Alberta beef.

Canadian ambassador Deborah Chatsis said Canada, with its world-class agricultural practices and high standards for food inspection, hoped to become a supplier of quality agriculture, food and beverage products for Vietnam.

After Hanoi, the embassy will bring the event to Ho Chi Minh City at the end of this year.

Museum showcases conical hats, terraced fields

A photo exhibition showcasing the beauty of traditional conical hats and terraced fields is being held in the central city of Da Nang to celebrate the city’s 36th liberation anniversary.

The exhibition, which is now open at the Da Nang City Museum, features 65 photos of Vietnamese women wearing traditional conical hats in their daily activities by photographer Ong Van Sinh and 50 photos capturing breathtaking terraced fields throughout the country by Tran Phuoc Chinh.

Dak Nong to host national folk song festival

The fourth Vietnam Folk Song Festival of the Central Highlands and the southern province of Binh Phuoc will be held in the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong from March 25-27.

The festival will bring together professional singers from Dak Nong, Lam Dong, Kon Tum, Dak Lak and Binh Phuoc provinces, who will present 22 categories of traditional music, along with a number of amateur singers.

At the end of the festival, two first prizes (A), four second prizes (B) and six third prizes (C) will be presented to winners.

The biennial event aims to preserve original folk songs and create a healthy activity for Central Highlanders, boosting national solidarity.

Vietnamese artists in European spotlights

A Vietnamese art troupe has made a performance tour of France, Germany and Denmark.

Their dance performance which harmoniously combined Vietnam’s traditional music and Modern Dance Arts Hip Hop proved an instant hit in these countries.

During the tour co-organised by Germany’s Goethe Institute and France’s Moov’n Aktion, Vietnamese artists also participated in seminars and provided training courses for students who were scheduled to compete in France and Denmark.

Many of them won high prizes including “Who is Who” prize in Paris, France. The first prize in the Boy Solo went to Hoang Ky Anh and the second to Pham Khanh Linh.  Vu Tung Phuong was given first prize in the Poppin dance.

Music brings UK, Vietnamese artists together

Vietnam National Opera and Ballet and young artists from the UK’s Concordia Foundation engaged in a music fest at Hanoi Opera House on March 22.

The “UK-Vietnam Gala”, organized by the British Council Vietnam, was in honour of the official visit by Alderman Michael Bear, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, who stayed there until March 24.

The concert was the first international event in a unique collaboration between the Lord Mayor and the Concordia Foundation, with concerts also planned in China and Kenya.

The event opened with “Fanfare”, a work staged by artists from the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet under the instruction of UK bandmaster Graham Sutcliffe, who has been praised by the Queen for his contribution to boosting cultural ties between Vietnam and the UK.

“Fanfare” was freshly composed by Tim Brice, Concordia’s jazz and classical piano player, to be performed especially at the Hanoi music fest.

The night was warmed up by UK artists such as baritone James Cleverton in the aria “Largo al facotum”, soprano Tanya Cooling in “Estrano...folie” and tenor Christopher Steele in “La donna e mobile”.

Vietnamese artists contributed to the gala with “Un di felice” performed by tenor Thanh Binh and “Toreador” by Manh Dung.

Three painters present their work

A painting exhibition named ‘N3’ by three artists Tran Vinh, Dang Van Tu and Truong Thanh opened on Wednesday evening at the HCMC Fine Arts Association, 218A Pasteur HCMC’s District 3.

The exhibition features 24 artworks made of oil on canvas in totally different styles.

Tran Vinh’s abstract paintings are all themed “Wake up”. Dang Van Tu works with the idea of suburbs with cottages, boats, farmers, forests and rivers using simple images with light colors.

Meanwhile, seven portraits by Truong Thanh Van all in grey and blue show the emotionally distorted face of a man in expressionism style.

The exhibition will run until April 1.

Exhibition of Ukrainian miniature artworks opens

An exhibition of Ukrainian miniature artworks and gold jewelries kicked off in Hanoi on March 24.

The three-day event is being jointly organised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Ukrainian Ministry of Culture.

On display were 20 miniature hand-made masterpieces made by Nicolai Syadristy whose many works have been displayed at museums all over the world.

The event also showcased 12 works of gold jewelries made by holography experts from the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, offering the public a chance to discover Ukrainian high technologies and historical values.

Veteran artist spotlights wonder of nature

Paintings of northern Vietnam's beautiful natural landscapes by veteran artist Dang Tin Tuong are currently on exhibit at the Korean Cultural Centre in Hanoi.

The exhibition features a series of 36 paintings which bring Ha Long Bay and Sa Pa closer to people in Hanoi.

Tuong's pieces, which are primarily black ink on do (poonah) paper, portray the surprising grandeur and unique charm found in the wonder nature during the springtime. All of the artworks in this exhibit were created in 2009 and 2010.

Born in 1945 in the northern province of Hai Duong, Tuong graduated from the Viet nam College of Fine Arts. He has shown his work in many domestic and international exhibitions, such as the National Fine Arts Exhibition in 1980 and 1989 and an exhibition at Kochi Fine Arts Museum in Japan on 50 years of modern Vietnamese painting.

During his youth, Tuong visited numerous northern battlefields to record the resistance wars and draw the local scenery and famous, sites.

Tuong's growing popularity was first highlighted by a series of large-sized lacquer engravings of landscapes.

While a great majority of artists choose to use oil or lacquer to create their works, which allows them to paint freely, Tuong gained fame for his carved lacquer paintings, an art form that few artists specialise in as it requires patience.

His current paintings highlight a robust and introspective change. He drew countless clouds and mountains to show the beauty of nature, says Nguyen Quan, a fine art critic.

Int’l fireworks festival to take place in April

The fourth Da nang International Fireworks Competition 2011 themed “Sparkling Han River” will officially take place in the central city of Da Nang from April 29-30.

According to Nguyen Minh Sam, Director of Da Nang Foreign Affairs Department this year’s competition will see the participation of teams from the Republic of Korea (RoK), China, Italy, the UK and the host Da Nang team.

The event will be coupled with a lantern release and a boat procession on the Han River along with musical performances and fashions shows, Sam said at the international press briefing on March 24.

He added that the event aims to promote Da Nang’s image and as well as introduce attractive destinations of the city to domestic and foreign tourists.

Hue artists show off Thai-inspired works

Forty three Hue artists who studied under an exchange programme in Thailand are displaying the works they created for their graduation.

Their Thoi Gian va Su Tro Lai (Time and the Return) exhibition at the New Space Arts Foundation in Hue has on display more than 50 paintings, sculptures, graphics, and installation and video works depicting both Vietnamese and Thai themes.

The artists earlier studied at the Hue College of Fine Arts before going on the exchange programme to arts schools in Thailand, a major art nation in Southeast Asia.

The exchange was initiated by Phan Thanh Binh, headmaster of the college, to infuse new vitality to the Hue fine arts scene.

At the exhibition, Binh said the artists brought a uniqueness to Hue and Viet Nam. Viewers could feel the artists' personalities, aesthetics, and creativity through their works, he added.

The exhibition will be on until Thursday.

Int’l kite festival draws dozens of nations

Some 120 enthusiasts from 25 nations and territories have registered to participate in an international kite festival in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province from April 8-10.

The enthusiasts will bring over 300 kites in different sizes, shapes and materials, featuring designs from many traditional cultures.

Organisers from Intourco and Paradise Beach Resorts said that many colourful international figures will also participate, showcasing their special products in the shape of birds and very small butterflies, which, with skilful handling, can fly as in real life.

Audiences will also be entertained with huge kites in different shapes, including toads, as long as 25 metres.

The event will culminate in a professional kite flying programme themed “Sharing a sky” for 120 minutes, following an amateur programme for visitors.