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| The artwork “Whispers” |
More than just a source of pride
Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen, the student from the Faculty of Visual Arts, University of Arts, Hue University, shared that she felt happy and surprised to receive this award.
Speaking about her creative concept, Huyen explained that in a constantly changing society, today’s youth face many pressures, from academic demands and examinations to the competition of modern life. Through this series of works, she hopes to express “a sense of peace” by re-establishing the relationship between humans and nature, thereby opening up the possibility of healing.
During the creation process, the greatest challenge for Huyen was perseverance. Repeatedly painting each individual leaf, and applying highlighting and layering techniques could easily become discouraging. At the same time, she had to carefully consider how the layers of leaves overlapped, their direction of movement, and their interweaving to create a harmonious whole.
The message that Huyen wishes to convey is: The simplest path to rediscovering inner peace is to return to nature. Hue - true to its reputation as a “poetic land” - has provided her with abundant inspiration through its poetic and romantic beauty, nurturing her artistic emotions.
Throughout the process, Huyen received dedicated guidance and support from lecturers in the Faculty, especially her supervising lecturer. She believes that as long as one does not give up, all efforts will be rewarded. What matters most is always persistence, diligence, and working with all passion and enthusiasm.
Diversity of styles
According to Mr. Hoang Minh Tuyen, Deputy Head in charge of the Faculty of Applied Arts, University of Arts, Hue University, this year’s award featured 34 selected works. The works demonstrate a wide range of styles, from expressionism, semi-abstraction, realism to conceptual art; and a rich variety of materials such as silk, lacquer, oil paint, acrylic, woodcut, pen-and-ink, and mixed media. Overall, the award-winning works reflect a relatively high overall quality. Young artists show solid visual thinking, bold experimentation with new modes of expression, and engagement with contemporary themes.
Notably, two elements - creativity and Hue identity - are embraced and explored by the artists in new ways. In terms of creativity, artists tend to personalize their expression, combine materials, and approach their work conceptually.
Regarding Hue identity, what stands out is that the artists did not merely depicting familiar images, but transformed them into emotions, atmosphere, and cultural depth through brushstrokes, colors, and compositions - reflecting the unique perspectives of those born, raised, and deeply immersed in the culture of this land.
Discussing current artistic tendencies of students, Mr. Tuyen noted that while students previously leaned toward realism and traditional themes, there is now a growing tendency toward personal expression, psychology, and contemporary life.
In the coming time, the University of Arts, Hue University will focus on several key directions: enhancing talent discovery through academic activities such as workshops, exhibitions, and internal competitions; strengthening connections with real-world creative practice through collaboration with organizations, businesses, and art spaces; and continuing to innovate the curriculum by integrating traditional visual art foundation and contemporary artistic thinking. The long-term goal is to cultivate a generation of young artists with a solid academic foundation, independent creative thinking, and the ability to adapt to the contemporary art context.