HÀ NỘI — A colourful mural painting designed by world-famous Chilean mural artist Alejandro Mono Gonzalez was unveiled this morning in Hà Nội to celebrate Chile’s National Day on September 18.

Artists of the New Hanoi (Tân Hanoi) arts company made the mural using ceramic material.

The latest mural painting, 12m long and 2.3m high, is part of the existing 3.9km Hà Nội Ceramic Road, which was recognised as the world’s largest mural painting in 2010, with total area of 6.500 sq.m. 

This ceramic mosaic mural, which runs along the roads of Âu Cơ, Nghi Tàm, Yên Phụ and Trần Nhật Duật, as well as Trần Quang Khải and Trần Khánh Dư, and terminates at the pier of Long Biên Bridge, was built in 2008. It was among the major projects that were developed on the occasion of the Millennial Anniversary of Hà Nội.

The project won artist Nguyễn Thu Thủy, its creator, the prestigious Bùi Xuân Phái award in 2008, honouring valuable artworks of the capital.

She was highly appreciated for her idea to transform the dyke system around Hà Nội into a ceramic mosaic.

“I am very proud and touched when artist Gonzalez was invited to design this part of the mural by Ambassador of Chile to Việt Nam Claudio De Negri, and that this artwork was unveiled on the National Day of Chile,” Thủy said.

With this mural painting, located near the Quảng An flower market, Gonzalez wants to share his vision of a beautiful and progressive life that communist countries have aimed for since 1970.

Mono Gonzalez was born in 1947 in Curico City of Chile.

He worked as an artistic director at the Municipal Theatre of Santiago, designing the stage for famous plays, including Don Quixote and Romeo and Juliet.

He is well known for his large-size mural paintings, which have beautified public spaces and buildings in Chile and several other countries, including Argentina, Ecuador, Peru and Cuba, as well as Canada, France, Italy and the Netherlands, along with Portugal, Ukraine, China and now Việt Nam.

In Chile, he is the author of the art work titled Art and the city: Life and work, which was installed in 2004 at the Parque Bustamante metro in Santiago City. Featuring the history of social movements of Chile, this is the longest mural painting in the country - 233m long and 3m high.

Concerned about societal issues and the country’s destiny, the artist through his works, which are full of colour and humanity, often conveys his aspirations about human relations, people and society.

In October, Mono Gonzalez will meet artists in Hà Nội and students at the Vietnam University of Fine Arts. — VNS