A blank canvas: Artists work at the Art under the Roof workshop in Hoa Binh. — VNS Photo Nguyen Anh Tuan

HA NOI (VNS)— Sixty-four artists from all over world have had the chance to work together through the Art Under the Roof workshop organised last week by a private museum in the northern province of Hoa Binh.

Artists produced over 140 pieces during the nine-day workshop, said art critic Phan Cam Thuong.

Owner of the Muong Cultural Space Museum Nguyen Duc Hieu said: "The most important objective of the workshop was to enable Vietnamese and international artists to meet and exchange experience and ideas."

Thuong stressed that the event had successfully gathered a great number of international artists despite being organised by a local private museum.

"This was an event that even cultural bodies are rarely able to hold," he said.

Thuong said Vietnamese artists got to know different ways of art presentation while their foreign counterparts learnt about local culture, and in this case, the Muong culture.

"For example, Tsai Chit Rong from Taipei explained how he had taught art to prisoners who later produced work that was sold to the public," Thuong said.

"We are probably lagging behind in this sort of dynamic use of art, so this sort of exchange could help us to catch up," said Thuong.

The artists also experienced local culture with tours to nearby ancient Muong villages where they visited original stilt houses and the museum.

"We hope to present the centuries-old Muong culture to Vietnamese and international artists," Hieu said.

Surroundings inspire

As a result of the workshop, pieces including paintings, graphic designs, ceramics, sculptures and installations are on display at the Ha Noi University of Culture until this Sunday. They will then find a permanent home in the Muong Cultural Space Museum at 202 Tay Tien Street, Hoa Binh City.

One of the most outstanding features of the event were the ceramic works, with the participation of Spanish pottery artist Miguel Angel Gil and American ceramic artist Ellien de Rosas. Outdoor sculptures and installations were also created by French artist Nathalie Filoche and Russian sculptor Ludmila Baitsaeva.

Even though the artists were given a "blank canvas" to work on, many of them still concentrated their work on the beauty of the local landscapes and people.

"I was very happy to take part in the workshop and to understand further how rich Vietnamese culture is," said Italian sculptor Strano Giuseppe.

"It was so nice to meet and talk with the Muong people. I really appreciate the region and the hospitality of local people," he added.

The presence of many national and international artists is expected to make the Muong Cultural Space Museum known as a destination for indigenous and contemporary art and culture, and to help local people to appreciate art more.

"Hopefully Hoa Binh Province will become a cultural and artistic destination nationally and internationally following the event, helping to promote cultural exchanges and tourism development," said Trinh Tuan, co-founder of the non-commercial group of artists, Asia Art Link, which co-organised the event.

Asia Art Link successfully held art workshops and similar events in Malaysia, the Philippines and Chinese Taipei. Two international workshops held in the village of Sasaran in the Malaysian state of Selangor in 2008 and 2011 made a name for this small fishing village on the map of regional and international art. — VNS