First International UOB Art Competition launches in Vietnam

Singapore's prestigious UOB Painting of the Year competition welcomes entries from Vietnamese nationals and permanent residents for the first time this year.

The launching ceremony of the first UOB Painting of the Year art competition takes place on May 9 in Hanoi. Photo: JD

Ngo Tuan Phong, Deputy Head of the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam, and Victor Ngo, CEO of UOB Vietnam, jointly officiated the announcement ceremony of the first UOB Painting of the Year competition in Vietnam today, May 9.

Speaking at the event, Victor Ngo said Vietnam has a rich cultural heritage that has been strongly visualized through the arts.

"The decision to launch the competition in Vietnam is a testament to the country's growing art scene and reinforces UOB's long-term commitment to supporting the arts and artists in Southeast Asia," he said.

He believes that this competition will help artists discover their passion for art and contribute to developing the visual arts scene in Vietnam.

According to artist Luong Xuan Doan, head of the jury and president of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, the UOB Art Competition is a great opportunity for young artists to showcase their talent and gain recognition in the international art market.

"This is a rare international painting award for contemporary Vietnamese artists, launched after so many years, aiming to discover young painting talents and gradually put Vietnam on the world painting map," he said.

The oil-on-canvas painting titled "Greying" by Dillion Poh (Singapore) won the prize of "2022 Most Promising Artisst of the Year"

The Vietnam competition is open to all Vietnamese citizens and permanent residents, with the entry deadline being August 6, 2023.

The first-place winner in each country will receive VND500,000,000 (approximately US$22,000) and a chance to compete for the prestigious UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year Award, which comes with a cash prize of S$13,000 (approximately US$10,000) and a one-month residency program at the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum in Japan.

A jury of prominent figures in the Vietnamese art scene will judge the submitted artworks based on the following criteria Message, Creativity, Composition and Technique.

The winners will be announced at an award ceremony, and the winning paintings will be displayed in a public exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City in October 2023.

The jury for the competition in Vietnam includes artist Luong Xuan Doan, Kwok Kian Chow - Singaporean UOB Special Art Advisor, Tran Luong - leading visual artist, independent curator, founder of APD Center, and artist Tia-Thuy Nguyen, founder of The Factory Contemporary Arts Center, 'Top 50 most influential women in Vietnam 2019' by Forbes Vietnam.

Participants in the competition may find more information at UOBandArt.com

Founded in 1982, the UOB Painting of the Year competition aims to recognize Southeast Asian artists and offer them the opportunity to showcase their works to the wider community. The competition was extended to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and in 2023, to Vietnam. It is now the longest-running art competition in Singapore and one of the most prestigious in Southeast Asia.

The "Flower Path" (acrylic and posca pen) by Wooi Ki Xiong (Malaysia), winner of "2022 Most Promising Artisst of the Year"

"Rural Lifestyle 1" (coconut shell on wood) by Nawin Ponpong (Thailand), winner of "2022 Most Promising Artisst of the Year"