QUẢNG NAM — A humble village by the seashore at Tam Kỳ City in central province of Quảng Nam will become full of art in June, with wall paintings as part of the Korea Foundation Community Art Exchange Programme.

The Korea Foundation has introduced wall paintings to Việt Nam in an effort to contribute to life with art and culture in the international community, joining forces with the UN-Habitat Vietnam which has helped Việt Nam’s cities develop sustainable urban environments. Thus, they co-hosted a workshop in Hà Nội on community art with over one hundred participants in September 2015. Experts on community art and urban development from the country and Korea got together to share ideas, experiences, and expertise to find ways of implementing community art in Vietnam.

Tam Kỳ will implement a community art exchange programme with Korea to develop eco-cultural tourism at Tam Thanh Commune, which is known for its beautiful beach and Sông Đầm Lake. Tam Thanh is also well-known as a source of fish for local residents.

Along with the wall painting project at Tam Thanh, Tam Kỳ People’s Committee plans to renovate the embankment road from the beach to Tam Thanh Village as part of its efforts to develop eco-cultural tourism.

Between April 11 and 13, 2016, a joint team composed of Korean experts in community art and officers of the Tam Kỳ People’s Committee conducted field research to investigate the condition of walls and house surfaces and to make a master plan. They have concluded that Tam Ky PC will have the surfaces cleaned in May, because having a clean wall is a prerequisite to painting it and preserving the painting. After that a group of Korean artists and college students will assemble with Vietnamese counterparts to draw and paint in accordance with the master plan in June. The people of the village will be asked to take part in the cleaning and painting of walls.

Concurrently, photographers from Korea, the Philippines and Turkey will visit Tam Kỳ to take photos of Tam Thanh’s beautiful scenery and create a visual record of the wall painting process. Photographers will also visit Hội An and Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary in Quảng Nam Province. Their photographs will be exhibited in Seoul, Korea and other international cities later this year.

Wall paintings contribute to the promotion of tourism by attracting people to the community and making the people of the community satisfied and proud to be surrounded with art. It’s hoped that the project will reinforce coherence and identity in the community through their efforts to create community art. — VNS