The second Viet Nam Press Cartoon competition was launched last September with the theme of Ha Noi traffic. Today, the winners of the Bamboo Dragon Cup will be announced and presented with cash prizes. Tran Luong, a member of the jury, talks with Culture Vulture about the contest. You have had a strong attachment to the Viet Nam Press Cartoon since it was launched. Do you have any comments about the contest?
The contest was named after the drama Bamboo Dragon by Nguyen Ai Quoc (who later became President Ho Chi Minh), who was the pioneer of the Vietnamese press cartoon. The contest is open to Vietnamese and foreign amateur and professional cartoonists living in Viet Nam.
This year, the theme focused on traffic during integration. The cartoonists should expand their view to other traffic-related social problems such as people's awareness of traffic, the gap between rich and poor in terms of traffic and the traffic planning system.
The number of entries expressed the love Vietnamese cartoonists have for the art and the responsibility they feel for this social problem.
The first contest was welcomed by veteran and young cartoonists alike. Some of the veterans had given up cartoon drawing but they came back and eagerly took part. This year, the contest attracted many artists of all ages from around the country. I realised that very few female painters entered the contest, but I can't explain why.
Would you share your feelings about your first time as a jury member?
Well, I felt pleased about the co-operation between other jury board members and the organising board. I have had a few experiences organising art events and participating in social projects.
Do you have any comments about this year's entries and contestants?
I didn't see anything earth shattering, but the development of design using computers and digital effects is interesting, such as Pham Thanh Chung's Loading, for example. The artists made creations in a variety of forms and expressed the depths of their ideas behind their strokes.
Do you have any suggestions that could help make the third press cartoon contest even better?
I hope the contest will be supported by central fine arts organisations. Cartoonists could establish an association that would allow them to exchange with other artists both at home and abroad on a broader scale. They could also organise professional events and contests.
Leading cartoonists around the world have a professional style. They express the professional training process through their artworks. The way they approach and represent their subject matter obeys solid and scientific methods and techniques. If Vietnamese cartoonists were trained professionally, I believe that cartoons would earn the high appreciation they deserve. — VNS