HÀ NỘI — More than five months since its inception, the National Five-Year Sculpture Competition has chosen 225 sculptures from 164 artists for exhibition.

The sculptures displayed at the exhibition. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tùng

The 16 best works were selected by the Organising Committee for awards, including three second prizes, three third prizes, and ten consolation prizes.

At the Awards Ceremony, the Organising Committee awarded three second prizes to the works Southern Love Song by artist Châu Trâm Anh, Nghênh Phong (Windward) by artist Nguyễn Trường Giang, and The sky is round and the earth is square by artist Lê Văn Khuy.

The three second-place works, made of three different materials — metal, white stone, and ceramic — represent the advancements and discoveries made in the realm of sculpture over the previous five years.

The work Southern Love Song by artist Châu Trâm Anh is based on the melodies of his homeland — Đờn ca tài tử, a genre of chamber music in the traditional music of southern Việt Nam. The sculpture displays the image of Southern men singing and women playing traditional instruments.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Artist Lương Xuân Đoàn, Chairman of the Việt Nam Fine Arts Association and Chairman of the Art Council of the contest, stated that contemporary sculpture in Việt Nam had moved away from large, obtrusive monuments that take up space to smaller, indoor and outdoor statues.

The need to live in harmony with nature, architecture, and the surrounding landscape formed this approach.

Đoàn explained why the first prize was not awarded in the competition, claiming that no piece could persuade the Council members.

"In the past five years, we have experienced a pandemic. Issues have arisen in the creative imaginations of artists, who are unable to feel at peace with the fragile fate of humanity. Therefore, the time to create a work is too short and urgent. We hope there will be more compelling designs in the near future," said Đoàn.

The exhibition reflects contemporary Vietnamese sculpture life openly and vividly. The artworks chosen for the exhibition allow visitors to witness a fresh side of Vietnamese sculpture with a variety of avant-garde characteristics, innovative ideas for shaping, and imaginative conceptions, as well as the potential talent of young artists.

The five-year National Sculpture Exhibition is held at the Hà Nội Museum, Phạm Hùng Street, Nam Từ Liêm District until 10 October. The exhibition is also displayed online at the website: http://ape.gov.vn. — VNS