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| Artist Nguyen Thien Duc, Chairman of Hue City Fine Arts Association |
As the one who has accompanied the city's art movement for many years, could you share your general impression of Hue’s young art scene today?
Vietnam’s young art force in general is currently quite thin, mainly due to enrollment in art schools nationwide not meeting expectations. The current trend leans more toward applied arts, and Hue is no exception to this reality. Therefore, in many places, 'young' artists are now considered to be anyone 45 or even 50 years old and below, while those aged 25-30 are extremely rare. This contrasts with the Vietnam Fine Arts Association’s official regulations, which define young artists as those between 18-40 years old. This trend is most evident in Hue.
In recent years, Hue City Fine Arts Association has maintained annual young art exhibitions, despite limited funding. This activity aims to encourage and provide a platform for the future backbone of fine arts. However, each year, participants are getting older, and the Association has to expand the age range to attract enough artists and works. Year after year, we continue to face shortages - that's the objective reality.
Hue's young artists, though few in number, are quite special and highly regarded. Art forms are diverse, rich, and have strong points. Some young faces have left clear marks in professional circles. For instance, Nguyen Duc Niem, a student at the Sculpture Department of Hue University of Arts, has had many works highly rated in exhibitions at the City Fine Arts Association and North Central region art exhibitions, and has won awards for young authors from the Vietnam Fine Arts Association despite not yet being a member. He also won the Silver Prize UOB Painting of the Year 2024 for promising artists. Alternatively, Nguyen Trung Kien won the Potential Young Artist Award from the Vietnam Fine Arts Association in 2024.
The enthusiasm of young people shows in how even a 15-year-old is eager to participate in exhibitions with quality works. Vietnam Fine Arts Association regulations require participants to be 18 for official competitions, but grassroots art exhibitions allow younger artists to participate. In 2023, this young person's work was selected for the North Central region exhibition, but unfortunately had to miss the opportunity due to age restrictions.
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| Young art exhibition - an annual platform organized for young artists |
In your opinion, what position does the young art force currently hold in the City Fine Arts Association’s activities?
The young force is active and quite prominent, with strong points. Some young artists are cared for and evaluated very positively by older artists. In exhibitions in Hue, artists aged 35-50 account for 70-80%, being the backbone. The younger force under 35, though few, often creates surprises because they are still experimenting with themselves, asserting themselves, thus easily creating breakthroughs.
They have contributed to making Hue’s art scene more diverse in order to affirm diversity and richness. Young artists also attract more young public communities to exhibitions. This is a positive point, as they convey many issues of art and social life from young people’s perspectives, making the public more interested. With the current development approach, I believe they will be the next generation of Hue’s fine arts.
What convinces you that young artists can play a crucial role in both renewing and preserving Hue's artistic traditions?
With my professional responsibility, sensitive perspective of a veteran exhibition organizer, and participation in art evaluation councils, I notice they are hiding many new nuances, capable of creating surprises. It’s precisely this surprising, fresh element that will make Hue’s fine arts more highly regarded by the public.
I believe that stable art activities are necessary, but that stability must be linked with creativity. Stability without innovation - just repetition, templates, and fear of change – isn’t stability at all.
The most easily recognizable point is that young artists renew old themes. Topics like war and heritage that were extensively explored by previous generations are now expressed through new language and styles by young artists, creating more unique and distinctive features.
In your role as Chairman of Hue City Fine Arts Association, what directions or activities have you and the Association had to support and promote young art force development?
Hue City Fine Arts Association always focuses on the young generation because they represent the future backbone of fine arts. In the creative field, only the young force dares to break conventions and seek the new. Therefore, the Association organizes young art exhibitions every year, awards prizes to encourage, evaluate, recognize, and stimulate creative capacity. This is also a platform for young artists to showcase their talents.
The Association also regularly conveys information about domestic and international platforms, and urges members’ participation. When legal support is needed, the Association is ready to step forward and provide. What’s encouraging is that young artists participate very enthusiastically, showing passion for the profession and desire to test their abilities.
What do you expect about Hue’s young art scene in the next 5-10 years? And what role will the City Fine Arts Association play in that journey?
What I’m most concerned about is both having strong points and developing numbers. Having strong points but thin forces makes it difficult to sustain. Therefore, both need to be developed in parallel. This source will come from universities, colleges, and vocational schools training in fine arts.
In the future, we need to create conditions for the young generation to develop stronger, such as lowering the age for joining the Association and participating in exhibitions to stimulate young people’s participation. I also wish to establish some young art clubs to increase cohesion and mutual support.
The Association has maximized its capabilities under limited funding conditions. In the future, the Association will strive to discover, gather, nurture young artists, and create conditions for them to become the backbone of future fine arts.
What message would you like to send to current young Hue artists?
The path of fine arts is inherently challenging. Those who make their mark are all people who love the profession, because balancing artistic activities with family life is an extremely difficult equation.
I was once young, once struggled like you are now. I want to tell young artists: “Knock and the door will open,” and “Keep going and you will arrive.” If you hesitate and don’t commit, you will never succeed. Art is the same. All opportunities are waiting for you. If you don’t seize them, they will slip away. Be persistent in your work, and the day will come to reap the results. That’s what I’ve drawn from my own experience.
Thank you!