Viet Nam News By Minh Thu Comparing herself to a sponge, French artist Marianne Smolska’s inspiration is derived from all that’s around her. She has travelled all over world but decided to settle in Việt Nam where she discovered the endless motivation to create using the materials that fascinate her. With ink on traditional paper combined with embroidery, she expresses both feminity and strength through the issues she addresses in her works. Smolska was born in 1969 in France. She initially studied social sciences and anthropology, but in 1994, she turned her back on anthropology for painting and graphic arts. At that time, she travelled to Naples, Italy, and settled in a studio. She visited Việt Nam for the first time in 2011, and decided to return to live and work in Hà Nội “The discovery of this country has been a very beautiful experience,” Smolska said in English. “I have been very touched by the culture of this country, … [Read more...] about French artist draws inspiration from traditional VN arts
Graphic arts studio
ART & ENTERTAINMENT IN BRIEF 10/8
Vietnamese novel hits Thai bookshelves An ASEAN Literature Award novel the “Cho toi xin mot ve di tuoi tho” (Give me a ticket back to childhood) by Vietnamese writer Nguyen Nhat Anh will be published in Thailand. With the Thai version translated by the Nanmeebooks Publishing House, the book will be introduced to Thai readers at a ceremony at Chulalongkorn University on August 24 in the presence of the writer. Having won the Vietnamese Writers’ Association Award in 2009 and the ASEAN Literature Award in 2010, the book will also be published in the US and the Republic of Korea. “Cho toi xin mot ve di tuoi tho” tells a story of an innocent childhood but full of mischief of four kids. 3-millennium-old site discovered in Hanoi Archeologists have found a number of tombs and artifacts from two different cultures dating back to possibly 1500 BCE in Hanoi’s Hoai Duc District. A team of experts from the Hanoi University of Social Sciences … [Read more...] about ART & ENTERTAINMENT IN BRIEF 10/8
Art & Entertainment News 5/9
First Monsoon Music Festival attracts foreign artists Large numbers of talented artists and musicians from around the world will gather at Hanoi’s former Thang Long Imperial Citadel from October 2-4 for Monsoon Music Festival 2014. Famous artists of Vietnam such as singers Thanh Lam and Ha Tran, jazz guitarist French-Vietnamese Nguyen Le, and foreign artists including percussionist Rhani Krija from Morocco, keyboard player Martin Hedin from Sweden and others from Denmark, the UK, France, Belgium, the Republic of Korea and Japan will take part in the festival. The event, the first of its kind to take place in the capital city, is one of major cultural activities to celebrate Hanoi’s 60th Liberation Day (October 10). At a press conference in Hanoi on September 3, Music Director of the Festival Quoc Trung expressed hope the event will bring a music festival for not only Hanoians but also people over the country, contributing to building a professional music industry in … [Read more...] about Art & Entertainment News 5/9
Vietnamese designer won prize at American Graphic Design Awards 2017
The Hanoitimes - A series of four posters featuring characters from an ancient tuong play (classical drama) by Vietnamese designer Dang Thi Bich Ngoc has been named a winner of the 2017 American Graphic Design Awards. The winning series of four posters featuring characters from an ancient tuong play (classical drama) by Vietnamese designer Dang Thi Bich Ngoc. The 23-year-old designer from Da Nang Architecture University made the posters on truc chi (bamboo pulp paper). “Posters on the theme of theatre and cinema need special lighting effects. Truc chi helps a painting look neo-classic, as the image on truc chi paper will appear when it is illuminated by LED lights. With her graphics, Ngoc has achieved success in America,” said painter Nguyen Tri Phuong Dong who also won at the American Graphic Design Awards and advised Ngoc on her poster project. The art of making truc chi was invented by painter Phan Hai Bang in 2011. Based on the traditional process of making the … [Read more...] about Vietnamese designer won prize at American Graphic Design Awards 2017
Art professor urges for school reform
Artist Huynh Van Muoi (also known as Uyen Huy) is head of HCM City’s Fine Arts Association and the Applied Arts Department at HCM City University of Fine Arts. Muoi, who has spent 44 years studying and working at the century-old university, speaks about his career and future aspirations. I began studying fine art in 1964 and graduated from Sai Gon Fine Arts College in 1974. I was fortunate to be trained by such talented artists as Nguyen Sien, Tran Kim Hung, Nguyen Van Long and others. Right after graduating, I began lecturing at the school and worked for an advertising company in Sai Gon at the same time. When the war ended I continued teaching at the school, which was renamed HCM City Fine Arts College. You have more than 40 years experience studying and teaching at the same school. What are some of your memories? The best memory of my teaching life is from 1974. It was a day in October when I was the youngest lecturer at the school. I did not dare sit with senior lecturers in … [Read more...] about Art professor urges for school reform