On December 3, the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association hosted the award ceremony and opened the exhibition for the second “Vietnamese Cultural Heritage through Painting” competition at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum.

Associate Professor Dr. Do Van Tru, Chairman of the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association, shared that this year’s contest attracted 1,320 entries from 990 artists, including 249 students and 456 artists under the age of 25. The youngest participant was just six years old and the oldest, 84. Some entries came from overseas Vietnamese students studying in Japan, Australia, and the UK.

After preliminary and final rounds, the jury selected 30 award-winning artworks, including one First Prize winner  -  the piece Under the shadow of a thousand years by Le Phi Hung, a lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts  -  who received a prize of 75 million VND (approximately USD 3,000).

Two Second Prizes (USD 2,000 each), three Third Prizes (USD 1,600 each), three Youth Awards, and 19 Encouragement Awards (USD 400 each) were also granted. In addition, all 70 finalists received financial support for their creative process.

Speaking to VietNamNet, Le Phi Hung shared that his inspiration for Under the shadow of a thousand years came from his first visit to the Ngo Quyen Temple. There, he was deeply moved by a giant duoi tree, revered by locals as a silent witness to history  -  believed to have stood where soldiers trained and rested their horses before the legendary Battle of Bach Dang in 938.

These stories stirred a sense of sacredness in the artist, compelling him to capture that historical weight through painting.

The piece was created using traditional woodcut techniques on do paper, combining the essence of Vietnamese folk art with influences from Dong Ho painting. It took the artist about six months to complete.

Hung expressed his hope that the competition will continue to spread the value of cultural heritage to the public, especially younger generations. He also wished for his work to contribute a humble voice in the collective effort to preserve and honor Vietnam’s national identity.

Among the younger artists, Tran Kim Oanh showcased her piece Thang Long – Memory of the Dragon. She drew inspiration from the Kinh Thien Palace  -  once the power center of the ancient Thang Long Imperial Citadel. Though only stone steps and dragon statues remain today, they quietly bear witness to a thousand years of history.

Rather than reconstruct the lost architecture, her painting evokes sacred and heroic emotions through the image of the palace fading in and out of the clouds. The contrast between light and darkness functions as a symbolic language, emphasizing the deep connection between heritage sites and cultural foundations. It also opens a contemplative space for viewers to reflect on preservation and continuity.

By blending contemporary visual language with epic spirit, Oanh’s painting invites multiple interpretations  -  from aesthetic appreciation to introspective explorations of identity and cultural memory.

At the award ceremony, the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association also announced the launch of the third and fourth editions of the competition (2026–2027 and 2028–2029), with a special focus on selecting 100 works that honor the Communist Party of Vietnam, the revolutionary spirit, and President Ho Chi Minh  -  in celebration of the Party’s 100th anniversary in 2030.

A few of the featured artworks at the exhibition: