Artists receive the Mai Vang Award for "Excellent Literature and Arts" to welcome the new spring

(NLDO) – Writer Xuan Phuong, photographer Kieu Anh Dung and painter Nguyen Trong Hoan talk about their works welcoming spring.

Văn nghệ sĩ giải Mai Vàng — From left to right: Artist Doan Hoai Trung - Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Photography Association, Artist Kieu Anh Dung and Mr. Tran The Thuan - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Information at the 30th Mai Vang Award Ceremony - 2024 held at *Nguoi Lao Dong* Newspaper, awarding prizes to outstanding works of literature and art.

The Editorial Board of the Lao Dong Newspaper awarded prizes to three outstanding works of art and culture: The memoir "Carve away...carve to" by writer and director Xuan Phuong; the photographic work "Fire Prevention and Fighting Drill, Firefighting and Rescue at Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien Metro Station" by photographer Kieu Anh Dung and the oil painting "Highway" by artist Nguyen Trong Hoan. In early spring, the three authors shared their sincere thoughts about the prestigious award received on the occasion of the Lunar New Year.

Artist Kieu Anh Dung: "Spring sprouts green on the vast field of photography"

Answering the question, after receiving the Mai Vang Award for outstanding Cultural and Arts in 2024, what does photographer Kieu Anh Dung feel? - the photographer who is always active and concerned with works that record achievements from life said: "I am extremely happy and grateful to the Organizing Committee of the Mai Vang Award - Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, the Arts Council for selecting the award for my work, thereby being widely introduced to the people of the City and the whole country about the attention of the Party Committee, the City government, the synchronous coordination of departments and branches for the highest safety for people when the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien Metro line goes into commercial operation in emergency situations".

Artist Kieu Anh Dung said that 2025 is the year when Ho Chi Minh City has many big events. As an artist, I also try my best to have works contributing to the City where I live to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification.

Personally, he also has many projects in mind, and will try, if conditions are ripe, to hold a solo exhibition to introduce his works to the public.

What makes him happiest this spring when thinking about the human resources of the photography industry in Ho Chi Minh City, "is that the young photography team in the city today is very large, well-trained, and regularly enriched with knowledge through training courses and practical compositions from groups, so the young photography team always has very new perspectives on the dynamism, development and integration of Ho Chi Minh City.

In my opinion, in order for photography activities in Ho Chi Minh City to develop more strongly in 2025, the city needs to launch competitions for students, green summer soldiers, and Youth Union members because nowadays with a smartphone, if you have a good shooting angle, you will have quality works that meet the requirements of exhibition photography" - Artist Kieu Anh Dung shared and he believes that, "spring will sprout green buds on the vast field of photography, where many young photography artists will appear, flourish and beautify life".

Painter Nguyen Trong Hoan: "We need to pay attention to creating conditions for young painters to develop their talents"

For artist Nguyen Trong Hoan, receiving the 2024 Mai Vang Award in the field of Culture - Arts is a great honor for him. "I feel very touched and grateful that my efforts have been recognized. This award is not only a personal recognition but also a great encouragement for me to continue to contribute and develop in the field of art. I would also like to thank those who have always supported and accompanied me throughout this journey. This is a source of motivation for me to be more creative and bring valuable works to the community" - artist Nguyen Trong Hoan shared.

At the beginning of the new spring, he said that after this success, he will not stop there, but is preparing for a new project, which is to continue to exploit the themes of people, culture and architecture of Ho Chi Minh City. "This city is not only where I find inspiration but also a place that contains stories, strong changes over time, from the past to the present. The city is a place where the old and the new, between traditional values and modernity intersect. I want to bring works that reflect the diversity, complexity and dynamism of this city.

In this project, I will focus on capturing the beautiful and unique aspects of people, distinctive cultures and iconic architectural works, and explore how they interact, blend and create a vivid, colorful picture" - Artist Nguyen Trong Hoan emphasized.

In 2025, he plans to hold a solo exhibition to showcase his new works. This is an important step in his creative and artistic process and he wishes to share with the public works that reflect his creative development and search. This exhibition will focus on the themes of people, culture and architecture of Ho Chi Minh City, where he finds a lot of inspiration.

The artist hopes that these works will bring a new insight and feeling about the city, as well as help viewers - including readers of Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper - find stories and cultural values hidden in each work. This is also an opportunity for him to connect with the audience and the art-loving community, while expanding the scope of his creations.

Talking about current concerns, the artist believes that the human resources of the fine arts industry lack a sustainable development environment and opportunities for young artists to demonstrate their talents. While they are very dynamic and creative, "I feel that many of them still have difficulty finding creative space, opportunities to learn from their predecessors, as well as connecting with the public. In addition, there is a lack of clear career orientation and financial shortages.

I think that for the fine arts industry to develop sustainably, there needs to be greater investment in supporting young artists from both organizations, art agencies and the community. It is necessary to build training programs, exhibitions, and open creative spaces so that young artists can exchange, learn, and find opportunities to develop their careers" - artist Nguyen Trong Hoan emphasized.

In order for the fine arts in Ho Chi Minh City to develop more strongly in 2025, the artist believes that it is necessary to create a more solid foundation to support and promote the talents of artists, while connecting art with the community and society. One of the important solutions is to organize more exhibitions, events and open creative spaces for artists, especially young artists. This not only gives them the opportunity to display their works but also creates an environment for learning and exchange between artists and audiences.

In addition, he also believes that investing in specialized training programs and organizing art workshops and courses is essential. These activities will help improve the professional level of artists, creating motivation for creativity and long-term career development. Another equally important factor is promoting the connection between fine arts and other industries such as design, architecture, and creative industries. This not only enriches the artistic life but also creates opportunities for Ho Chi Minh City's fine arts to develop in a modern context.

Writer Xuan Phuong: "The Mai Vang Award brings youthfulness to my writing"

At the age of 95, writer and director Xuan Phuong was unexpectedly considered an "idol" by readers of the Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper. Because her memoir "Carve away...carve come" touched the hearts of readers. "I thank the year-end gift that Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper gave me, it is so meaningful to bring more faith in new creations. The Mai Vang Award for Cultural and Artistic Activities has brought me youthfulness in my creations and I think the artists who won the award have the same thoughts as me" - writer Xuan Phuong shared.

In the eyes of artists in Ho Chi Minh City, every time she appeared, writer Xuan Phuong always treated everyone with sincere affection. She always listened and shared inspiration, showing that she always actively welcomed the youth from life.

People's Artist Kim Cuong believes that those who have read her works have a common recognition, which is admiration and respect for a simple and profound woman. "The Mai Vang Award for Outstanding Culture and Arts for her is very worthy, because the works she writes are not only for herself but also leave for future generations stories containing both the history and culture of the nation and the meaningful perspectives of an experienced person, bringing those values into a precious message for us to cherish community life" - Legendary woman Kim Cuong said about the 95-year-old writer.

She believes that after the award event that the Lao Dong Newspaper presented, writer Xuan Phuong's literature will continue to spread to the younger generation.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/van-nghe-si-giai-mai-vang-van-hoa-van-nghe-xuat-sac-chao-xuan-moi-196250125104125315.htm