Vietnam's first university through the eyes of young painters

The exhibition "Historical Echoes: Interpreting the Temple of Literature through Painting" has been opened at Hanoi's Temple of Literature (Vietnam’s first university), featuring works inspired by the temple's architecture and typical motifs.

This is the result of the contest "Historical Echoes: Interpreting the Temple of Literature through Painting" organized by the Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam Center for Cultural and Scientific Activities over the past two months. 

Works of art displayed in the exhibition. Photos: Hanoimoi

Nearly 200 paintings were submitted to the competition using a variety of materials, including oil paint, silk, wood carving, acrylic, and watercolor. The contest is open to students from art and design educational institutions nationwide and artists between the ages of 18 and 35.

According to Dr. Le Xuan Kieu, Director of the Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam Center for Cultural and Scientific Activities and head of the contest's organizing committee, this is a "playground" for young people to create, express their emotions and views through paintings of architectural works, artifacts and statues in the Temple of Literature.

"This is an opportunity for young people to show their passion and creativity for painting and cultural heritage," Kieu said.

He expressed his hope that the contest would be a bridge between the past and the present, between young people and the thousand-year-old heritage of their ancestors.

Architect Bui Thanh Viet Hung, a member of the competition's jury, said the entries showed a diversity of perspectives, stories, ideas, and expressive materials.

The works show the different perspectives of young artists on the relic of Hanoi's first university.

"Architecture such as the gate of the Temple of Literature, Khue Van Cac, as well as relics such as the Doctoral Stele, and typical motifs such as dragons, phoenixes, and turtles become an inspiration for contestants to use and express their works creatively and elaborately," Hung said.

He added that many works are creative in content, exploiting the theme of "historical echoes" through different languages and materials.

Some pieces use clear watercolors, while others use printing and embossing techniques with contemporary and youthful motifs. Although it is the style of the younger generation, it still retains the mark and symbol of tradition, demonstrating the many viewpoints of young artists on the artifact of Hanoi's first university. That's the success of the competition," Hung concluded.

The jury selected 17 best works. The watercolor painting entitled "Dong Su" (The Flow of History) by artist Nguyen Anh Tai (born in 1999) was awarded the first prize.

The exhibition runs until October 31.