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Numero uno: The cover of Vang Bong Mot Thoi – Part 1, one of the four picture books by theatre photographer-reporter Huynh Cong Minh. |
HCM CITY — With more than 30,000 photographs and negatives featuring cai luong performers on the stage, theatre photographer-reporter Huynh Cong Minh has positioned himelf as a singular art collector.
However, Minh denies that designation.
"I'm not a collector. I store my photos because I want to preserve the original and pure beauty of cai luong, the southern region's traditional music, and introduce it to the world," said the 78-year-old photograher.
Beginning his career in 1950, Minh spent nearly 15 years capturing the beauty of cai luong artists, their work and their life behind the curtain. His lens captured the art's brightest stars like Phung Ha, Nam Chau, Thanh Nga, Thanh Duoc and Ut Bach Lan, who were seen as the kings and queens of cai luong in the 1950s and 60s.
Working as a reporter, Minh attached a lot of detail to his photo captions, helping viewers learn more about the art form as well as the featured characters.
Among Minh's collection are many black and white and coloured photos featuring three of the greatest cai luong beauties, former artist Phung Ha and her students, former actress Thanh Nga and Kim Cuong.
These photographss capture for posterity performances in canon plays like Doi Co Luu (The Life of Ms Luu), To Anh Nguyet, Lan Va Diep (The Love Story of Lan and Diep), and Son Nu Pha Ca (Pha Ca – Mountain Girl) – that shot the veterans to fame at an early age.
Minh said he enjoys capturing and collecting pictures of cai luong artists on the stage because "they are like valuable history books that tell you many things about the art.
"With my photos, you can see not just beautiful artists in colourful clothes, but also learn about the different performance styles during particular period in the history of the art."
According to some experts, including traditional music professor Tran Van Khe and theatre critic Nguyen Thanh Chau, Minh's collection is invaluable. They say his collection is a useful tool for many people like theatre students and teachers, as also cultural and traditional art researchers.
Minh keeps his precious collection at his small house in Binh Thanh Street. He calls it the Museum of Traditional Theatre.
Minh has welcomed many visitors at his home and "I provide them with not only photos but also a party of traditional music."
A part of Minh's collection was published in a series of four picture books titled Vang Bong Mot Thoi (A Moment in Time) by the Sai Gon Cultural House in 2006. A few of these books have been reprinted several times. — VNS