Exhibition features Hanoi’s traditional treasures
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An exhibition featuring sculptures covered with composite material, which gives them the appearance of being encased in amber, is now open at the French Cultural Exchange Center L’Escape in Hanoi.
Titled “Villages in the City,” artist Vuong Van Thao’s exhibition hopes to draw people’s attention to the contradictions between new and old Hanoi.
One highlight of the exhibition is a village gate.
“A village gate is a work of art,” Thao said. “Its beauty and diversity of architecture boldly expresses a village’s culture. Furthermore, it is a lively picture demonstrating the history of the city. We need to preserve and respect village gates.”
The exhibition is part of the project “Living Fossils” which was ranked as one of the top 10 in the competition "Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation Signature Art Prize 2008" in Singapore for contemporary artists in the Asia Pacific region.
Thao has taken many things representing daily life in Hanoi with the hopes of preserving those that are under threat of extinction due to modernization.
Born in 1969 in Hanoi, Thao graduated from the Hanoi University of Fine Arts in 1995 with a major in painting. He is now a member of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association.
His works have been displayed in China and Singapore.
The exhibition will run until June 18.
