Exploring the role of traditional heritage in contemporary Vietnamese art

Traditional culture and the vast artistic heritage crystallized through many historical periods are a rich treasure for contemporary artists to find ideas for their works. In fact, Vietnam has had many famous artists thanks to their creations based on tradition.

That is the opinion of artist Dang Xuan Hoa, Chairman of the Painting Arts Council, Vietnam Fine Arts Association, in the art discussion "Contemporary on heritage" held on May 7 at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi .

“The nation’s heritage is the foundation for Vietnamese artists today. Vietnamese fine arts have a ‘voice’ in the region thanks to that foundation. I really respect those who start their works with traditional materials,” shared artist Dang Xuan Hoa.

However, to affirm their own name, as well as shape the position of the country's modern fine arts, artists need to have personal identity in their works.

According to artist Dang Xuan Hoa, in today's rapidly developing digital age, if artists are not brave enough, they can easily be distracted and sometimes "waver" in their direction.

“Artists must be more passionate and work harder to create works that touch the emotions of viewers,” said Mr. Hoa.

From the perspective of a collector, Ms. Duong Thu Hang, Director of Hanoi Studio Gallery, shares the same opinion.

The work "Doraeco" by artist Phan Tu Tran is on display at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum. (Photo: PV/Vietnam+)

Ms. Hang believes that artists’ works must carry the spirit of the artist, and must come from the artist’s needs and emotions. They paint for themselves, not for customers or collectors.

“Only when the artist paints with his emotions can the audience recognize whether each stroke of the brush, each streak of color has inner strength or not, from which they can feel the energy radiating from the work,” Ms. Hang said.

Returning to the story of heritage inheritance, Ms. Hang believes that today's artists cannot just "stick around" with a few heritage symbols but need to develop.

“Heritage signals do not give the work the necessary depth. Artists need to incorporate personal experiences and other creativity. Knowledge will be guided by exploration. I think that to make a mark for a work, individuality is more important than heritage inheritance,” Ms. Hang said./.

On this occasion, the exhibition of winning works of the UOB Painting of the Year (UOB POY) Competition 2024 takes place at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum until May 19.

The competition honored six talented Vietnamese artists in two categories: Emerging Artist and Established Artist, in which the highest award, UOB Painting of the Year, went to artist Nguyen Viet Cuong with his work “Stream” and the Most Emerging Artist of the Year award was given to artist Phan Tu Tran with her work “Doraeco.”

The third UOB POY Competition in Vietnam (2025) is officially open for entries from today until August 1. The competition is open to all citizens and permanent residents in Vietnam, with no entry fee.

The UOB Painting of the Year is one of the most prestigious art awards in Southeast Asia, having discovered and nurtured over 1,000 artistic talents across the region. The competition will be held in Vietnam for the first time in 2023.

On the sidelines of the competition, the Organizing Committee also created conditions and accompanied Vietnamese artists to participate in regional art playgrounds, such as Art Jakarta held in Indonesia, or Art Central held in Hong Kong, which gathers many artistic talents across Asia.

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/kham-pha-vai-tro-cua-di-san-truyen-thong-trong-nghe-thuat-duong-dai-viet-nam-post1037141.vnp