Past and present meet in Vietnamese art
"Exhibition of Artworks by Contemporary Vietnamese Artists
- A New Wave in Asian Art," until June 17 at the Bunkamura
Gallery, 2-24-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, (03)
3477-9174.
An exhibition of modern Vietnamese art is now being held at the
Bunkamura Gallery in Shibuya, Tokyo.
Vietnam has achieved dramatic
economic growth since the launch of
the Doi Moi reform program in
1986, and the art scene has been
making phenomenal progress as
well.
Drawn into a whirlpool of
information from abroad,
Vietnamese artists have struggled to find their own identity and style
while using traditional techniques. Having been under the influence
of France during the colonial period, many Western art techniques
have been adopted in the country, resulting in some very original
work.
One of the most popular materials used in Vietnamese art is
lacquer. In many countries, lacquer is used in the field of crafts, but
in Vietnam, it is used for painting.
Aside from lacquer paintings, the
exhibition includes drawings on
handmade rice paper, paintings on
silk, collages made with stones and
seashells, and other types of works.
There are no limits to what the
artists of Vietnam will use for their
creations.
One of the artists participating in this exhibition, Vu Dan Tan, uses
not only traditional materials but also natural materials, such as
bamboo and tree bark, and garbage, including empty cigarette
packages, old newspapers and magazines.
A total of 50 pieces by 10 artists are on display at the exhibition.
The Japan Times - June 13, 2001.
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