Painter Nguyen Dai Giang (left) presenting three fine art works to representatives of the Department of Culture and Sports
Foundations of Hue Museum of Fine Arts
In 2013, the province affirmed to found Hue Museum of Fine Arts (the period 2021-2030). On December 9th, 2015, the provincial People’s Committee made a decision about “Approving the Project on Developing Thua Thien Hue Fine Arts up to 2020 with orientation to 2030.”
In the past, although Hue Museum of Fine Arts had not been established yet, the province had a policy to assign the Department of Culture and Sports to collect 12 excellent art works which won prizes through art festivals. These served as a basis for the establishment of Hue Museum of Fine Arts later. On September 9th, 2016, through the recommendation of Song Huong Magazine, artist Nguyen Dai Giang presented three paintings (Art of Upsidedownism) for the future Hue Museum of Fine Arts. So by the end of 2016, the Museum had 15 paintings "as its capital", which are now stored at the Department of Culture and Information.
New launches
On March 10, 2017, Nguyen Van Cao - Chairman of the provincial People's Committee signed the Decision No. 477/QD-UBND on the establishment of the Evaluation Panel to buy valuable art works for the establishment of Hue Museum of Fine Arts. In April 2017, the Panel agreed on selection criteria and priority order of art works as follows: Well-known art works with typical artistic values contributing to Hue arts development through periods; valuable art works by well-known artists in the country and abroad; art works winning awards at provincial level or higher; works with high value by artists living, studying and working in Thua Thien Hue; valuable art works featuring Hue; contemporary and traditional art works (royal court and folk) with cultural identities of the localities, of the peoples of Vietnam, of the quintessence of human culture; works with high value of ideology, aesthetics, history and culture; art works presenting achievements in the national construction and defense…
Collection in the period 2017-2022
In early July, the Panel drafted "Plan of art works collection for the establishment of Hue Museum of Fine Arts, period 2017 - 2022." Accordingly, as for contemporary art, categories such as such as painting, sculpture, etc. made of oil paint, lacquer, silk, wood, iron pen ... have been focused. The content reflects many aspects of life and contemporary historical period. The plan has made a list of outstanding artists who have contributed greatly to the construction of Hue art, from the early decades of the 20th century under the Nguyen dynasty till now.
As for oil, silk, lacquer paintings, it can be referred to well-known names in the past, such as: Le Van Mien, Ton That Sa, Nguyen Khoa Toan, Nguyen Van Nhon, Tran Van Phenh, Ton That Dao, Pham Dang Tri, Mai Trung Thu, Vinh Phoi, Dinh Cuong, Trinh Cung, Lam Triet, Ton That Van, Buu Chi, Hoang Dang Nhuan, Duong Dinh Sang, Do Ky Hoang ... Le Thanh Nhon, Pham Van Hang, Mai Chung ...for sculpture, the artist Ngoc Luu, three brother artists Phi Hung, Phi Long and Maria Mong Hoa, Le Vinh. . .for portray, landscape or still-life, and advertising. The names of artists in the country related to Hue fine arts are Nguyen Do Cung, Nguyen Duc Nung, Pham Viet Song, Nguyen Tien Chung, To Ngoc Van, Luong Xuan Nhi ... and foreign artists are Victor Tardieu, J. Inguimberty ...
The draft plan particularly paid attention to important art forms such as enamelled bronze. Hue is a place where products are made of enamelled bronze integrated and harmoniously combined with other handicrafts. That makes enamelled bronze products become unique and diverse. Lacquer appears everywhere from village temples to royal tomb and palace. Lacquer is in the house of common people to rich ones such as horizontal lacquered board, parallel sentences, box, palanquin, desk ... Mirror paintings and carved paintings in the style of “one poem, one painting” have been imported and used as decoration in some royal architecture. Mother-of-pearl mosaic uses sea shells to create lively, as well as the meaning of the product. Paintings of Sinh village and Chuon village with simple, rustic and mysterious art leave a good impression on the viewer and add to the source of ancient material about Hue folk aesthetic appreciation.
Products of bronze sculpture and items... are made from talented hands of artisans in Hue copper castings. Wooden sculptures in My Xuyen carry typical features and high value of Hue in the past. Phuoc Tich pottery has existed for more than 500 years with pottery products including types of jars, vases ... Embroidery paintings in Hue started 300 years ago ... Handicraft weaving in the community of Ta Oi, A Luoi currently keep about 50 patterns on fabric. Bamboo paper art is just a new type of art - paper, paper - art in Vietnam, founded by artist Phan Hai Bang and his colleagues since 2002. Other art forms still exist such as mask decoration in Tuong (classical drama); art of making jewelry, sculpture of stone, bone; rattan and bamboo; decoration of kites; decoration of poem hats; terracotta; molding folk figures; paper flower art ...
Story and photo: Ho Hoang Thao