VietNamNet Bridge – On the hills of the Muong Culture Museum in the northern province of Hoa Binh, which cover five hectares, are unique contemporary artworks made by local soil, stone, trees and leaves.
Fourteen sculptors, 12 painters, 1 musician and 3 volunteers of all ages are the authors of these artworks, which include house on stilts by fossil, buffaloes by trees and leaves, a set of dinosaur bones by stone and wood, etc.

Among them are senior artists like painters Nguyen Bao Toan, Ly Truc Son, Ha Tri Hieu, sculptor Dao Chau Hai, art researcher Phan Cam Thuong. The younger generation comprise sculptor Tran Duc Sy, painters Trinh Tuan, Vuong Van Thao and Tran Viet Phu. Guest artists are painter Nguyen Minh Thanh and Vu Thang.

Artists grouped up for ten days (September 15-25) to make the works, which will be exhibited for a year, starting from September 30.

Artists said they did not intent to make firm works, but works that can exist for 6 months or 1 year. After that, other artists will come to make new artwork. This is the beginning for the formation of an art center in the form of “Artist in residence” in the future.

The Museum has two parts. A part is a living museum which reflects the miniature life of Muong ethnic group, with six Muong families. The another part is the dialogue between contemporary and indigenous culure.

The museum’s director, Vu Duc Hieu, has nurtured this plan for a long time. According to Hieu, this art camp is different from state-funded camps because this is the interaction between native culture and contemporary art. Those who want to discover Muong culture in the form of tourism culture will be disappointed.

“We do not want to make artworks as souvenirs like brocade skirts, scarfs or houses on stilts. This is the dialogue, learning and exchange between artists and local Muong residents,” said sculptor Dao Chau Hai.

“It is the old way to make houses on stilts and brocade to show Muong culture,” said researcher Phan Cam Thuong.

He said that at this camp, Muong people join artists to make artworks. This is a chance for them to see how artists work and see the things that they have never known and they do not have.

TP