An Exhibition of Artworks and Designs Inspired by Vietnamese Culture in the Last Dynasty of Nguyễn
Sydney, Australia
6-15 September 2019
Even though the Nguyễn dynasty lasted only 143 years, the imprints it left in Vietnam’s cultural identity is undeniably profound and impactful. To the extent that, sometimes, when thinking of an ancient Vietnam, ample people immediately associate it with the Vietnam of that era. The culture of that time has always been an endless inspiration and abundant resource for artists and designers.
The exhibition “Present From The Past” introduced to Sydney audience the artworks and designs which are inspired by that time as well as the sophisticated and opulent vestiges of the Nguyễn dynasty. With that in mind, the spectators can grasp an overview of what was once so magnificent and elegant and how its essence has seeped into the creativity of Vietnamese young artists nowadays.
Artists
Organizations
Visitors
Days
Exhibition Content
The exhibits are embedded with the desire and talent of individuals and organizations in using the materials from the sophisticated, dynamic and vibrant culture of Vietnam.
Instead of a Vietnam usually represented through natural scenic landscapes or labor activities, the creators of these exhibits (most of them are in their 20s) choose to paint a magnificent, splendid, and opulent Vietnam with its thousands-of-year sophisticated culture.
During the entire exhibition, the album “Đường Xa Vạn Dặm” (The Road To Infinity) by the well-known musician/songwriter Quốc Trung has been played to create a unique ambiance as well as bring to our audience a more fulfilling experience.
Lauched as a project by musician Quốc Trung and the Phương Đông band, the album is the first of its kind mixing the Western electronic music with the material from the traditional folk music of Vietnam, such as chèo, xẩm, quan họ, hò Huế, ca trù, etc. The first concert was taken place in Tokyo with the presence of the Japanese prince and princess. Later, Mr. Quốc Trung and the band brought the concert to Vietnam, which made it the very first performance program of world music in the country.
We wholeheartedly believe “The Road To Infinity” is one of its kind and that we couldn’t have found a better album to play in our exhibition. As you might already see, “Present From The Past” is not an exhibition which displays antiques. When we started to plan this event, the aspiration is to present to our audience the way the Vietnamese current artists perceive and channel our cultural roots. There are numerous musical works which took their inspiration from Vietnamese traditional melodies, but “The Road To Infinity” is undoubtedly one of the most novel, high-quality and suitable for an exhibition space.
Meritorious Artist Đinh Linh
Shimin
Camellia Taylor
Reconstructed Việt Phục
*Việt Phục: Vietnamese ancient costumes
Great Vietnam is a brand of costumes and accessories for young people, inspired by the Nguyễn court culture.
Ỷ Vân Hiên was found with the aspiration to conserve the core values, the unique aesthetic features of Vietnamese culture in the time of globalization.
Pháp Lam Bronze Vases
*Pháp lam is a technique of enameling ceramics on a metal base (gold, silver, copper). At its finest, the products of pháp lam are considered a combination of the ceramic industry with jewelry.
* Actual exhibits at the Present From The Past exhibition
Blue De Hue is a collective brand of potters, with the mission of preserving and restoring traditional values in this field and the spirit of “Rekindling The Quintessence.”
Architecture Presentations
Tản Mạn Kiến Trúc is a project that provides information, analysis and images of the ancient architectural works in Vietnam.
Đại Nội Huế – Imperial City Huế is a Facebook page dedicated to the architectural works located in the ancient capital of Huế.
Modernized Ancient Costumes
V’Style is one of the pioneering fashion brands in the field of modernized clothing with the inspiration from Vietnamese ancient attires.
The aspiration behind Đại Việt Fancy is to weave the artistic essence of the Vietnamese ancient patterns and motif onto the modern clothings.
Printing Woodblock
Actual photos of the exhibition's visitors printing with the Ingo Kit blocks
Ingo is a fun and educational do-it-yourself kit that enables children to experience the 500-year-old art of woodblock prints, originating from a Vietnamese village named Đông Hồ. Ingo works with village artisans to provide all materials and instructions necessary for children aged 6-10 to make beautiful prints in a classroom with their teachers or at home with their parents.
Virtual Reality
Actual photos of the exhibition's visitors viewing the 360-degree virtual-reality experience of the animated Điện Thái Hòa (the Supreme Harmony Hall). The Hall is considered the symbol of the Nguyễn monarchy's power.
A platform to connect authors/illustrators to create content for children all over the world. Kids will enjoy an exciting new way to read and interact with the 3D books on the Joikid app
Photobooth with Việt phục
We provided a photo booth decorated in a traditional style with the a set of Quadruple Paintings and a large ceramic vase. The visitors could try on áo tấc (tấc tunic), áo ngũ thân (five-paneled tunic) and Nhật Bình gown as well as other traditional accessories including khăn đóng (turban), mấn, hài shoes, etc.
Monosketch was launched in 2017 with a simple purpose: to bring the works of young Vietnamese artists closer to the public, make them more widely known and appreciated. Monosketch collaborates with young Vietnamese artists, applying copyrighted designs on products to introduce them to the local and foreign communities. You can easily find creative items at the store of Monosketch, such as artsy posters, unique notebooks, adorable postcards or fashion products (t-shirts, tote bag, etc.)
Monosketch is built and developed sustainably in the spirit of supporting artists as well as conveying artistic values to the public in many different forms. Besides feturing their products, Monosketch also regularly organizes exhibitions and talk shows, which are amazing spaces for artists and their audience to discuss and exchange ideas.
Sponsors
PHOTOS
Ngọc Thắng and Đức Hà (at the exhibition "Present From The Past")
In courtesy of the contributors of the exhibition "Present From The Past"
CONTENT
Compiled by Vietnam Centre in courtesy of the contributors of the exhibition "Present From The Past"