New exhibition connects artists in Asia

Asia-Art-Link, which opened yesterday, features painting, sculpture and photography by 31 Asian artists, as well as photographer Andre Lurde from France.

The show was devised by Vietnamese painter Trinh Tuan and Malaysian painter Ng Bee as a platform for artists from the Asian Pacific region to interact and develop a common ground for dialogue. It also aimed to spur the development of contemporary art in the region. Participating artists hail from Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos, Vietnam and France.

"The exhibition connects several cultures," said doctor Le Van Suu, lecturer at the Viet nam College of Fine Arts.

"The event offers a good opportunity for the radiance of each nation’s cultural and artistic colour to be appreciated.

Filipino artist Noel Pama said the exhibition shows the differences and similarities of cultures in the region.

"There may be differences between us when it comes to culture, ideas and sensibilities, but the innate flame of passion, the struggle and sacrifice of art, transcends the mindset," said Pama.

"We share the same goal, dream and soul."

Some of the best-known artists displaying their work at the show include Taiwan’s Chen Yung-mo, Japan’s Mayu Ueno and Thailand’s Somboon Phoungdarkmai.

The Thai artist’s work explores the tragedy of the 2006 tsunami, which devastated many coastal communities in the region.

Somboon’s Tsunami painting took her years to complete.

"I began painting on the first day of the tsunami but took two years to complete it," she said.

"I didn’t paint it from my eyes but from my brain."

Somboon’s uses soft colours to examine the devastation caused by the giant waves.

"I don’t use strong colours," she said. "Why, I don’t know, it’s just my emotion."

Other highlights include Mayu’s two lacquer paintings entitled Sea and Old Spider.

"Since I was a girl, a very old story about the beginning of the world interested me a great deal," she said.

"(It says) our world began with only one big spider and a vast sea.

"I really believed in this story."

Exhibition visitor Nguyen Thanh Huong said one of her favourite works was Nguyen Tran Cuong’s Night.

"It’s so strange when Cuong depicts trees with tree-trunks that are the bodies of women," she said.

"The painting makes me stop and wonder."

The exhibition is held at Viet Nam Fine Arts Museum, Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hanoi and will wrap up on Sunday.

(Source: Viet Nam News/Vietnamnet)