Being proactive helps me adapt in ...

Reporter: You are currently designing 9 works to participate in 3 theater festivals from now until the end of the year. When working on many projects at the same time, where do you find materials to avoid duplication?

Artist Tran Hong Van. (Photo: THANH HIEP)

- Artist TRAN HONG VAN: Right at that time, there were 3 festivals: Cai Luong Stage Festival, Capital Stage Festival and Ho Chi Minh City Stage Festival, so the work was very busy. To summarize, there were 9 plays that I had to design art in a rolling process, which were: "Red Coral" (Tran Huu Trang Theater), "Chat Ngoc" (Tay Do Theater), "Canh Cua Cham" (Vietnam Cai Luong Theater), "Coi Tinh Mong Man" (Dong Nai Literature and Arts Association), "Chan Menh" (Can Tho Literature and Arts Association), "Khat Ao Binh Yen" (Ho Chi Minh City Drama Theater), "Con Nguoi Rung Tram" (Long An Cai Luong Troupe), "Vung Dat Ky Bi" (Phuong Nam Art Theater) and "Cai Lang Ky Luong" (Truong Hung Minh Art Theater).

The play "By the Long Khot River" by the Long An Cai Luong Art Troupe, won the excellent award at the 2021 National Cai Luong Festival, with stage design by artist Tran Hong Van (Photo provided by the character)

The material I find comes from the script, I read, ponder, discuss with the author, director, each script has its own flavor so it's hard to duplicate.

Why did you choose to study stage and cinema art design at Ho Chi Minh City College of Theater and Cinema?

- It was fate. Perhaps the profession chose me because at first I loved architecture but then I took the exam to major in stage design. There were 12 students in the class but only 5 graduated, 3 went into cinema and 2 into theater. And today, only I am still able to stay in the profession of stage art design. Two years later, I received the Outstanding Artist award at the National Professional Drama Festival in 2009 with the play "Dong Nho" by Meritorious Artist Hanh Thuy.

Of the awards you have received, which play do you like best in terms of art design?

- I like every play because it is my brainchild. I learn a lot from my works, each play is an opportunity to touch different languages ​​of stage art. What I aim for is to achieve high efficiency in staging effects. In each play, the scene and space setting are always important factors, because when opening, the first thing that attracts the audience is the stage design.

Nowadays, too many plays abuse the use of LED screens, which destroys the artistic element. If the LED screen is designed in the right place, it will greatly support the performance, but if it is abused to gradually replace the stage scenery, it will destroy the director's creativity.

After many years of preparation, you have established the May Do Creative Academy with the desire to contribute to changing the mindset about stage art design activities. What does the work mean to your career?

- I learned from many teachers in the profession, from designers to directors, they are all passionate about adding human resources to the stage design profession. This is urgent because the younger generation only do the job by instinct, without basic training.

I always hope that Ho Chi Minh City stage will have an international standard program to serve tourists. That place will introduce a stage that is properly invested, magnificent, and imbued with Vietnamese identity. Not only in terms of outstanding design, but also in terms of actors, directors, sound, lighting, content, artistry, etc., all of high quality to create new aesthetic values ​​for viewers.

Many seminars are held to discuss solutions to overcome difficulties for the stage. What do you expect after the 3 upcoming festivals?

- I hope that creative thinking needs to change, to be promoted to a higher and deeper level in every stage. No matter how many festivals and performances, the difficulties in facilities that art units still overcome, still complete the play, that is admirable. I hope that the 3 festivals will have good plays, sell tickets, have a long life on stage and not be put in storage.

.The professional stage design force in Ho Chi Minh City is too thin. Do you have any suggestions for the management agency to overcome this situation?

- In fact, there are too few students studying this major. Some young people who are amateurs rush into the field of stage design, although they have passion and put their inspiration into their designs, but lack basic knowledge, leading to many "flaws" in their designs and inconsistent styles. To attract young people to study this major, there must be specific mechanisms.

With May Do Creative Academy, this is the first step for me to realize my big dream, contributing to training talented people in the field of stage design to meet standards. I hope they will be the successor force to meet the current market demand.

What is your advice for young stage designers?

- Currently, the stage is facing financial difficulties, and plays are forced to reduce investment costs. Therefore, it is very difficult for producers to hand over the design to young people. From my own experience, since entering the profession, I have not thought about fame and fortune, but have focused on studying and accumulating experience. I asked to help out, asked to do everything to learn. Dynamism gives me the creative ability to work in the future. And thanks to the experience, I can adapt to all situations. 70% of the materials I have are collected from real life during my study to create fine arts in stage design.

In 2011, I received a full scholarship to study in Sichuan, China. Now, if I have time, I will register to continue studying in countries with top-notch stage design majors, to equip myself with more knowledge.

"Painter Tran Hong Van has won 6 individual gold medals and 28 collective gold medals with creative art teams.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/hoa-si-tran-hong-van-nang-dong-giup-toi-thich-ung-trong-moi-hoan-canh-196240921194118117.htm