Viet Nam News
HA NOI — Some 50 artists are participating in an exhibition that opened today in downtown Ha Noi to showcase 30 years of the country’s renewal policy.
“It’s not an ordinary exhibition,” art critic Nguyen Duc Binh, a curator of the Mo Cua (Open Door) event hosted by the culture ministry, told Viet Nam News. “It aims to pay tribute to artists who have made considerable contributions to the country’s fine arts through the past 30 years. The public and the art circle will see the change in the field of fine arts as well as many other areas of our society.”
Vi Kien Thanh, head of the culture ministry’s Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition, said the artists were selected by three officials from the department, who acted as curators, namely art critic Binh, painter Nguyen Hai Ha and Thanh himself.
“Each of us drafted a list of artists with new creative thoughts and strong personal marks, and then we met and discussed,” he said. “Each of us explained why those artists were considered. We had to defend our choices before making the final list.”
The panel then asked each selected artist to send one work.
“The doi moi [renewal] policy launched in 1986 brought along a good opportunity for artists to create,” curator Ha said. “But each artist renews him/herself in each new creation, every day.”
Vuong Duy Bien, deputy minister of culture, said he was satisfied with the list.
“It will be very difficult for them to select the best 50 artists meeting all the requirements,” Bien said, “The final list may be not totally perfect for everyone, but I think it was well picked.”
There is no division of artists according to localities or forms of art. The 50 artists include painter Tran Luu Hau, who is the oldest (born in 1928). He now still continues to work on his art.
The youngest is sculptor Thai Nhat Minh (born in 1984).
Painter Vu Tan Dan (1946-2009) is among the familiar names and among the pioneers in practising contemporary art in the country.
“At this event, I want to introduce a public work of art, since hardly anyone in Viet Nam is interested in this kind of art,” painter Ly Hoang Ly said. “I don’t want my work to be seen as an ordinary statue, instead I want it to directly communicate with the audience.”
Mentioning the 30-year period since the renewal, painter Le Anh Van admitted that there have been several artists trying to express their thoughts in different ways.
“In 1977, when we were still studying at university, we felt the desire for change,” he said. “The reunification in 1975 was an important factor leading to the renewal of art in the next few years. Painter Tran Luu Hau, at that time our teacher, instilled in us similar feelings.”
Painter Ha Tri Hieu believed that the revitalisation of fine arts stemmed from the 1970s and the renewal policy started in 1986 affected the arts and produced quite a few names.
“That period may be dubbed as the ‘season of fine arts’,” he said. “People such as Nguyen Bao Toan can be considered a pioneer in installation, then came Tran Luong and Truong Tan. Since 2000, a new generation of painters of the contemporary arts has emerged. It’s regrettable they haven’t been promoted enough.”
Binh said the organisers hoped the event would make people think about the first phase of the renewal period, reflect on quiet moments in the art field and find a new way to further nurture the country’s fine arts in its international integration process today.
The exhibition is underway at the Viet Nam Fine Arts Museum on 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street until September 28.
A book on the artists will be published after the event, in which each artist will introduce three of their works to the public. — VNS