Tu represents Vietnam at Asia Fashion contest finale

Nguyen Hoang Tu is one of the 12 finalists in the regional Asian fashion design contest – Audi Star Creation (ASC), judges have unveiled.

The contest attracted 418 entries of contestants from 14 countries and territories in Asia.

At the final round, 12 contestants from Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Vietnam, Japan, China, Indonesia and Malaysia will compete in Runway Showdown at Tent@Orchard in Singapore on May 12.

Tu’s collection named “the New Asia” features strong development of Asia from agriculture, industry, services, entertainment and particularly fashion.

Vice President of Singapore Textile and Fashion Federation (TaFf) David Wang said contestants design fashion with inspiration from architecture, culture, history, social trends and even religions from their own countries.

Three winners of the contest will receive 10,000 Singapore dollars and a one-year training course at FJ Benjamin Group.

One of the three winners will get Audi Young Designer Award with additional 10,000 Singapore dollars in cash, stimulating creativity, use of high technology and constant development in the works.

One more ancient cannon found in Yen Bai

An ancient cannon, dating back to the 20th year of King Minh Mang’s reign (1839), has been handed over to the provincial museum of the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai.

The cannon was found in early April at the depth of 2.5 metres under the ground by construction workers who were building a dyke along the Red River section running through Yen Bai city.

According to Ly Kim Khoa, Vice Director of the Yen Bai Museum, the mortar is made of cast alloy iron. It is 1.55m long and weighs 550kg.

Currently, the museum has a total of five cannons, including a rare one made in the 12 th reigning year of King Minh Mang.-

Potters strike a ‘timely' balance

An exhibition of pottery that opened in Ha Noi on Thursday illustrates the harmony between modernity and tradition.

Curator of the exhibition, painter Le Thiet Cuong, invited six nationally known pottery artists to display their works. The artists chosen have had little chance to present their works in the past.

Pham Anh Dao, who was born in Bat Trang Village on the outskirts of Ha Noi, displays modest pottery bowls, dishes and cups with simple patterns.

Nguyen Khac Quan creates pottery with daring and modern patterns depicting charming women.

While Nguyen Quang Thu describes the love between mother and child, Nguyen Tuan uses pottery to portray Buddhist philosophy.

Nguyen Viet, the oldest of the team, shows his profession through celadon glaze pots and jars engraved with patterns from Cuong's paintings.

The precious green glaze, dating back to the Ly Dynasty ( 9th-12th centuries) is a difficult technique that requires much skill.

This year the exhibition will be held at a shopping mall in Trang Tien Plaza. It will close on April 20.

Curator Cuong said this would enable more of the public to see the exhibits. "Most Vietnamese do not have a habit of visiting galleries to admire paintings," he said.

Japanese landscape photos on show

A photo exhibition of beautiful Japanese landscapes is being displayed at a coffee shop in HCM City to raise funds for underprivileged children.

Pho Ba Quoc Huy, a Vietnamese graduate of Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan, and his father, Pho Ba Cuong, a professional photographer, took the photos.

Huy, who is the founder of the Japan-Viet Nam Photo website, said he was attracted by beautiful sites. Huy's interest in photography began when he was 16 years old, and he later organised several exhibitions in Japan and Viet Nam.

"There are several beautiful and wonderful sites in Japan because the country clearly has four seasons. During my years in this country, I have visited several places," said Huy, who now works in the financial industry in Japan.

Huy told Viet Nam News that some of his photos had been published in calendars and newspapers in both Japan and Viet Nam.

Cuong said that his son had often followed his father and assisted him on site during his shoots.

The exhibit of 20 photos by Cuong and Huy can be seen at Gallery Cafe Lavie at 16 Ho Xuan Huong Street, District 3, HCM City.

Peru’s culture promoted in Vietnam

The Peruvian Embassy in Vietnam on April 10 organised a party with the aim of introducing the image of land and people of the South American country.

It is part of a series of cultural exchange and trade promotion activities between Vietnam and Peru from April 8-24 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties (November 14, 1994-2014).

Speaking at the event, which saw the participation of Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Phuong Nga and Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh, Peruvian Charge d’Affaires Luis Tsuboyama said that Peru’s recent opening of an embassy in Vietnam once again affirms its Government’s wish to further strengthen the two countries’ bilateral cooperation.

Peru considers Vietnam as a bridge to expand its relations with others in Southeast Asia, he said.

He expressed his hope to introduce to Vietnamese people Peru’s culture through its typical cuisine and dances.

In 2013, two-way trade between Vietnam and Peru reached 154.3 million USD, of which 110.5 million USD came from Vietnam’s exports to the South American nation.

The Vietnam Oil and Gas Group and the Military-run Telecom Group Viettel are conducting investment projects in Peru.-

Six foreign art troupes will join an ensemble of over 1,000 Vietnamese for a spectacular opening performance kicking off the 2014 Hue Festival on April 12.

At a rehearsal for the opening, general art director of the 2014 Hue Festival, Le Ngoc Cuong said that under the theme “Cultural Heritage with Integration and Development”, the festival will breathe Vietnamese contemporary life.

“It will bring audiences an impressive display of contemporary life conceptualized by Vietnamese and foreign art troupes,” he said.

Over the years, many Vietnamese intangible cultural heritages have been honoured by UNESCO such as royal court music (Nha Nhac), Don Ca Tai Tu (amateur singing in southern Vietnam) and Ca tru singing.

Audiences will have an opportunity to enjoy these Vietnamese folk arts at the opening ceremony, said Cuong.

Especially, the stage will be designed as a “true artwork” with a purple theme, unique architecture and lighting system. Famous Vietnamese designer Minh Hanh has spared no effort to finalize the design for the stage.

A variety of activities such as art and music performance, exhibition, street festival, circus and book fairs will be held after the opening ceremony.

This year’s event, which aims to promote Vietnamese culture to the world, has attracted 43 art troupes including over 700 foreign artists from 37 nations in the world.  

Vietnam introduces water puppetry art to Egyptian friends

Artists and sculptors from the Central Puppetry Theatre visited Egypt from March 15- April 10 to share experiences in the water puppetry field and strengthen mutual understanding between the two nations.

During the stay, the Vietnamese delegation provided guidance and shared experiences in the process of making water puppets.

Despite differences in languages and difficulties in seeking materials for performances, Egyptian artisans completed 25 artworks imbued with Egypt’s folk culture and Vietnam’s traditional puppetry art.

Art lovers were very impressed with Egypt’s Pharaoh character which has been reflected by materials and characteristics of Vietnam’s unique puppetry art.

The Central Puppetry Theatre’s Fine Art Centre Director, Vuong Tat Loi said that the trip is part of a cooperative project between Vietnam and Egypt.

In June, Vietnam will dispatch its artists and artisans to instruct Egypt friends about puppetry performance art. An exchange program will be also staged in September.

Exhibition showcases Folk Tales

An ongoing exhibition at the Heritage Space in Dolphin Plaza in Ha Noi is showcasing hundreds of illustrations made for the folk tales published in the Heritage magazine.

The illustrations were created especially for the in-flight publication's Folk Tale column by several celebrated Vietnamese artists, including Vu Dinh Tuan, Tran Quang Minh, Nguyen Van Duc, Pham Hung Anh, Nguyen Van Cuong and Nguyen Truong Linh.

Launched in 1997, the Folk Tale column has introduced to its mostly foreign readership not only a rich collection of Viet Nam's folk tales but, through vivid illustrations, the evolution of the country's contemporary art scene.

The illustrations and other fine artworks will be auctioned on April 27 to raise funds for the construction of schools in poor mountainous areas.

The exhibition is open to the public till April 30 at 28, Tran Binh Road, Ha Noi.

How to turn a kindergarten green

A Green Kindergarten Design competition was launched yesterday to raise awareness about energy efficiency and green buildings in Viet Nam, while training the country's future architects and planners to adhere to sustainable building standards.

The event is aimed at collecting ideas on how to turn a traditional and over-crowded kindergarten into an energy efficient and green infrastructure for preschoolers in the city's My Dinh urban area.

The competition is targeting architecture students, requiring all applicants to submit designs for their ideal green kindergarten by May 10.

The winner will receive a cash prize of VND20 million (US$940), and four runners-up will receive VND5 million ($230) each.

The top ten applications will also be awarded certificates from the University of Applied Sciences Stuttgart (Hft Stuggart), one of the leading architecture schools in Germany.

This initiative is being supported by the E4G Project, an awareness-raising campaign run by Fairventures Worldwide with technical contributions from the National University of Civil Engineering, Hft Stuggart and Elithis Asia.

Royal costumes on parade

An exhibition of 54 paintings that feature clothing used for grand ceremonies by the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) opened in Hue yesterday.

The original paintings were done by outstanding intellectual and artist Nguyen Van Nhan in 1902, 100 years after the crowning of the dynasty's first king.

The paintings were collected by researcher Tran Dinh Son, who has published a photo book introducing Nhan's paintings.

Through the paintings, people can see how the royal family and mandarins dressed up for grand ceremonies conducted in feudal times, including royal costumes and gowns. Nhan's captions for the paintings were in Han characters and French.

The exhibition is open at Lieu Quan Buddhist Centre, 15A Le Loi Street until April 19.

92 artworks on Dien Bien Phu exhibited in Hanoi

Nearly 92 lacquer, oil and silk paintings and sculptures from 82 Vietnamese artists and artisans are on display at an exhibition that opened in Hanoi on April 10 marking 60th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu victory.

The exhibition features the works of craftsman who had participated in the resistance war against French colonialism and Dien Bien Phu campaign.

The paintings and sculptures vividly capture the images of Uncle Ho and legendary General Vo Nguyen Giap, leaders and soldiers of the Dien Bien Phu campaign, especially the lacquer painting titled “From Dien Bien to Hanoi” by the late painter Pham Ngoc Lieu.

Le Quoc Bao, a fine art researcher said that the exhibition has provided audiences with new viewpoints and approach on the theme of Dien Bien Phu.

The event will run through April 22 at 16 Ngo Quyen street, Hanoi.

Vietnamese-origin designer shines in Australia

A stunning collection by designer Betty Tran, a Vietnamese-Australian, has become the talk of the town at Australia Fashion Week 2014.

Betty Tran is one of two designers of Vietnamese origin– the other is talented hat designer Kan Kanemura –participating in the glamorous fashion week in Sydney that has attracted 70 other designers from around the world.

Her collection made of soft garment materials with impeccable style including Kan Kanemura hat designs showcases the flawlessly chic combination of the two designers, satisfying the senses of international fashion lovers.

Betty Tran moved to Australia 11 year ago, and graduated from Curtin university in 2007. She said her career is strongly influenced by her mom – a tailor and an embroidery artisan.

ASEAN festivals celebrated in HCM City

The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) and Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) in HCM City on April 11 held a ceremony to celebrate the traditional New Year festivals of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.

Local residents had the chance to explore traditional rituals and art performances featuring Tet Chol Chnam Thmay of Cambodia, Bunpimay of Laos, Thing Yang of Myanmar, and Trut-Songkran of Thailand.

Vice Chairman of VUFO HCM City Huynh Minh Thien conveyed his New Year wishes to Cambodian, Lao, Thai and Myanmar friends and emphasised that the festivals contribute to promoting mutual understanding and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and the four neighbouring countries.

VBS HCM City also organised traditional rituals of the New Year, bathing the Buddha, sprinkling water to pray for peace and tying thread around arms of participants at the event.

Most Venerable Thich Thien Tam, Vice Chairman of the VBS Executive Board, also conducted Buddhist rituals to pray for a happy and wealthy life for all, as well as close friendship between Vietnam and the four neighbouring countries.

Ethnic Day features Vietnamese cuisine arts

Traditional Vietnamese cuisine from three distinct regions of the country will be introduced at the upcoming Vietnam Ethnic Groups Cultural Day (April 19) celebrations from April 15-20.

A wide variety of activities will be held throughout the week-long event at the Vietnamese Ethnic Groups Culture and Tourism Village in Dong Mo, Hanoi.

The highlight of the festivities is a cuisine fair where different ethnic minority groups will introduce their traditional Vietnamese dishes from three regions of the country.

The Vietnam Ethnic Groups Cultural Day is held every April 19 to honor and uphold Vietnam’s ethnic cultural values and help international visitors gain a better understanding of Vietnamese people and land.

On this occasion, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will hold a seminar to review the five-year implementation of the Prime Minister’s Resolution on the Vietnam Ethnic Groups Cultural Day.

To attract more visitors, a traditional New Year festival - Chol Chnam Thmay – of the Khmer ethnic group will also be held in the village, with the participation of both local people and international friends from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia.

Activities to mark National Liberation Day

A series of art performances and sports events will be held in Ho Chi Minh City to mark the 39th anniversary of the National Liberation Day (April 30) and the 128th May Day.

According to the municipal People’s Committee, an exhibition will be opened at Lam Son and Chi Lang parks and Dong Khoi street.

On April 29, delegations will pay tribute to and offer incense in memory of martyrs in local cemeteries.

Besides, special art performances will be organised to mark the occasion on April 30 and May 1.

A bicycle race will begin on April 19, while a traditional boat race on the Tau Hu-Ben Nghe canal and a cross-country run will take place on April 2.

Beauty of Lao people and land on exhibit

A photo exhibition opened in Vinh city on April 12 highlighting the dreamlike landscapes of neighbouring Laos and beauty of the people, their colorful festivals, and unique family traditions.

The exhibited photos were taken by Vietnamese journalist and photographer Tran Duy Ngoan, who is former Chairman of Thanh Chuong District People’s Committee and Director of Nghe An TV and radio station.

Tran Duy Ngoan took many of the photos during his working visits to Laos over the past several decades capturing the images of Lao people as they went about their daily lives amidst the background of the country’s beautiful natural landscapes.

Ngoan’s photos provide an opportunity for Vietnamese to gain a better appreciation for neighbouring Laos and contribute to strengthening the time-honoured friendship and special solidarity between Vietnamese and Lao people.

The exhibition, which lasts until April 20, is part of activities to celebrate Laos’ traditional Bunpimay Festival 2014 and the 52nd anniversary of Vietnam-Laos diplomatic ties.

Painting exhibition commemorates Haiyan victims

A painting exhibition on super typhoon Haiyan, one of the most devastating natural disasters in the history of Southeast Asia and the world, opened in Hanoi on April 11, to commemorate the victims.

Twenty-four paintings and three installation pieces by artists from the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam are on show at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, manifesting the deep concerns of the multinational artists, who are members of Asia Art Link, for the unfortunate.

The week-long event is taking place at the same time with the Haiyan International Fundraising Art Exhibition in the Philippines.

Established in 2005 by Vietnamese painter Trinh Tuan and his Malaysian peer Ng Bee, the Asia Art Link has drawn many artists in Asia, including the ASEAN countries, China, the Republic of Korea, and Mongolia, as well as some from Europe and Latin America.

It has organised various humanitarian activities to support the Haiyan victims, with this exhibition as illustration.

Super typhoon Haiyan swept through on the Philippines’ Samar Island, 600 km southeast of the capital Manila on November 8, 2013, leaving 5,235 people dead, 23,000 injured and 1,613 missing, according to the Philippines’ statistics.

Ho Chi Minh City Television has taken worldwide rights for the hit Norwegian primetime shiny-floor format The Ultimate Entertainer and air the remake on weekly Saturday starting on April 19.

Contestants are 10 singers  including Duc Tuan, Phuong Vy, Tra My, Pham Anh Khoa, Ung Hoang Phuc, Minh Thu, Trang Nhung, Kimmese, Hoang Hai and Pham Thu Ha.

They will compete in ten different music styles such as pop, rock, R&B, folk and Opera.

Participants will work hard to adapt to the music styles, learn choreography and capture the correct visuals for the genre for ten weeks.

Viewers will vote for their favourite artist. Each week one artist will be sent of the competition.

Winner will receive a cash prize of VND400 million and the runner-up will get VND200 million.

The Jury includes singer Hong Nhung and director Le Hoang.

The Vietnamese version of the the Norwegian music entertainment format Ultimate Entertainer will be aired on HTV7, DRT and Giai Tri (Entertainment) TV chanels.

Fish worshiping festival recognised as national heritage

The annual Fish Worshiping Festival, or Cau Ngu, in the coastal province of Khanh Hoa, was recognised as a national intangible heritage on April 10.

The local Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism held a ceremony to receive the certification from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Nha Trang City. The certifications were presented to 46 temples.

The festival originated from the worship of the Whale God, or Nam Hai, which is a traditional practice in many coastal areas in Vietnam, but mostly held in south-central region. Nam Hai is said to have been a whale who often appeared amid raging waves to rescue people, before becoming a god of the sea.

This practice has been mentioned in many ancient documents produced during the Nguyen Dynasty. The royal court officially recognised the god and named him with various titles such as Ngoc Lan or Duc Ngu.

Modern worshiping festivals still keep many traditional ceremonies, art performances and folk games, showing its great effect on the rich spiritual life of the local people.

Le Xuan Than, Vice Chairman of Khanh Hoa Province People's Committee, said the local Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and other localities will carry out programmes to promote the festival and raise awareness.

Nearly 100 countries send representatives to Vesak 2014

As many as 1,500 delegates from 95-100 countries and territories worldwide are expected to attend the 2014 United Nations Day of Vesak, held from May 8-10 in Bai Dinh Pagoda, Ninh Binh Province.

The event, themed "Buddhist Perspective towards Achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals", will be co-organized by the Unified Buddhist Sangha of Viet Nam and the International Council for Day of Vesak's (ICDV).

The event will focus activities on Buddhists response to sustainable development and social change; global warming and environmental protection; healthy living; peace-building and post-conflict recovery; Buddhist education and university level curriculum.