Artists create variations on ‘moving' theme

by Bach Lien

Street scenes: Pat Cam's painting 36 Streets of Ha Noi focuses on the noisy corners in the city's Old Quarter (top), while another painting by the same artist depicts a bread seller (left).

HA NOI — Life is movement. And in the eyes of an artist, the movements of life can be interpreted in many different ways.

A group of Vietnamese, French and Brazilian artists have come together in Ha Noi to display paintings, photos and multimedia installations that tell different stories of life and movement.

The exhibition is the first result of Metropole Nomade, a project of the artist group Metropole Artists in Paris (France). This year, the project takes place in Ha Noi with the participation of 15 artists: five from France, four from Brazil, and six from Viet Nam.

The artists are free to create works on any subject as long as it follows the theme Movement. They are also free to use any techniques and art forms they wish, including painting, printing, sculpture, photography, video, and performance art.

Painter Tran Trung Thanh focuses on the movement of ideas. His painting Look into Any Direction features a wide-open eye and a raised hand. It can be interpreted as a representation of a person contemplating which way his life should go.

Vietnamese-French artist Eric Huynh takes a more naturalistic approach. His four photos on display feature four different movements drawn from the natural world: two buffaloes ploughing a golden field in Sapa, a Ha Noi fisherman casting his line into the river, a group of people sitting on a motorbike caught in a heavy rainstorm, and the movement of the weather in Hoi An before the sunset.

Using the technique of acrylic on photo, French artist Pat Cam also offers images of Ha Noi. His works depict the noisy streets of the city's Old Quarter.

Movement can also refer to a group of people trying to change some aspect of a community or society. This definition of Movement resonates with what the artists' group is trying to accomplish.

"The project encourages us to achieve freedom and exposure through art," says artist Hoang Duy Vang, head of the Vietnamese artists' group taking part in the project. "It helps us exchange ideas with each other. The fact that we all work on the same theme brings us closer to each other."

Before revealing their works to the public, the artists sat down with each other several times to share their ideas.

"The project encourages teamwork and the development of artistic ideas throughout the creative process, before showing work to the public," Vang says.

The project will be carried out in three years, from 2012 to 2014. The artists will continue to create new works in 2013 and 2014. Their artworks will be displayed next year in France and in 2014 in Brazil.

The exhibition is on the third floor of the Art Talk Cafe, 12 Quan Su Street. It will remain open to the public until next Thursday. — VNS