Exhibition introduces traditional, contemporary Dong Ho paintings
Traditional and contemporary Dong Ho folk paintings are being showcased at an exhibition opened at the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi on October 31.
Visitors to the exhibition that opened at the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi on October 31 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Traditional and contemporary DongHo folk paintings are being showcased at an exhibition opened at the VietnamNational Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi on October 31.
More than 100 objects on show include paintings,woodcuts and painting making tools.
In the section on traditional paintings, thereare some items that are almost 100 years old. They feature traditional imageslike chickens, herds of pigs, chubby babies, national heroes or legendaryfigures, showing the wishes for longevity, happiness, prosperity and success.
The exhibition also zones a section forpaintings that were recently recovered or created by contemporary artisans.Aside from typical images of the Dong Ho genre, they also reflect theVietnamese society under the rule of French colonialists and at present.
Visitors to the event can also watch andexperience the painting making process.
Nguyen Van Phong, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committeeof Bac Ninh province – home to the folk painting genre, said the display ispart of a series of activities to build a dossier seeking UNESCO’s recognitionof the making of Dong Ho folk paintings as intangible cultural heritage.
It is also an occasion to popularise the uniquevalues of Dong Ho folk paintings to domestic and foreign visitors, he added.
The demand for Kim Hoang paintings, a genre of Vietnamese woodcut paintings that originate from Kim Hoang village in Hanoi, has been increasing over the Lunar New Year.
The National Cultural Heritage Council will appraise dossiers on the Vietnamese folk art of Dong Ho painting later this year, then complete them before submitting to the Prime Minister.
In the old days, Dong Ho paintings were used as decorations at every home during the Lunar New Year festival (Tet). The folk paintings have become part of Vietnamese life through generations.
The Vietnamese team will gather on June 26 in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, where they will train until July 14 before departing for Indonesia for the ASEAN U23 Championship 2025, which runs from July 15 to 29. Vietnam will face Laos on July 19 and Cambodia on July 22 in the group stage.
The exhibition showcases more than 100 valuable documents and artifacts, divided into two main parts: “Journalist Nguyen Ai Quoc – Ho Chi Minh” and “President Ho Chi Minh – Founder and Mentor of Vietnamese Revolutionary Press.” This is an opportunity to recall the late leader’s journalism journey and affirm his exceptional role in founding and guiding the revolutionary press in Vietnam.
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Eight teams will join the tournament, divided into two groups. Group A features Vietnam, the Philippines, Sichuan Club (China), and Australia, while Group B consists of Vietnam U21, Korabelka Club (Russia), Taiwan (China), and U21 Thailand.
Despite strong home support and high expectations, Vietnam were unable to overcome the defending champions, who secured their third consecutive win over Vietnam in a regional final, following previous victories in 2014 and 2023.
The event, part of Vietnam’s cultural diplomacy strategy through 2030, was jointly organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela and USM’s Faculty of International Relations. It attracted thousands of students from universities across Venezuela.
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The contest carried deep meaning as it was the first time the life of Vietnamese women abroad had been highlighted as the central theme, said poet and writer Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers’ Association.
The event formed part of Vietnam’s ongoing campaign to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for the complex at the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, scheduled to take place in Paris in July.
Creative cultural festivals are fast emerging as a new catalyst for tourism development in Vietnam, as localities increasingly invest in these vibrant events on a more systematic and larger scale.
This marks the first time Vietnam has hosted a continental-level Muay event which will feature competitions across 28 weight categories in combat and eight performance categories.
Coming to the Vietnamese booth, visitors had the chance to take part in a bamboo dance, a workshop on painting woven bamboo or rattan, or quizzes about Vietnam.
These are impressive achievements, not only showing the efforts and prowess of Vietnamese paddlers but also serving as proof of the sports sector’s strategic and systematic investment.
The cultural event in Canberra not only fostered cultural exchanges between Vietnam and Australia but also contributed to promoting Vietnam’s image internationally
The U23 competition will run from June 16 to 22, followed by the U17 event from June 23 to 28, while athletes competing in the U23 category will undergo weight and skill checks ahead of the matches starting June 18, while similar checks for U17 athletes will take place before June 23.
Vietnam continues to sit just behind continental powerhouses Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, China, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Visitors to the exhibition that opened at the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi on October 31 (Photo: VNA) 
