VIETNAM UNIVERSITY OF FINE ARTS
SUMMER SCHOOL
"A mentor-protégé reunion - 2023"
In 2019, I happened to hear about the Vietnam University of Fine Arts Summer School recruiting participants, and I eagerly signed up to be an Art Attendee Student.
This opportunity brought me one step closer to my passion for traditional art, and it was during this time that I first met Mr. Tran Quoc Duc, who became a guiding force in my artistic journey. Under his mentorship, I learned the foundational theory of Vietnamese art history, specifically identifying the distinct styles of Dong Ho, Hang Trong, and Kim Hoang paintings, as well as patterns from the Ly to Nguyen dynasties (1010-1860). I contributed by categorizing information and drafting preliminary content, assisting my teachers in the publication of the article "When Folk Paintings Speak," which appeared in Culture and Arts newspaper, No. 490, in August 2021.
As part of my practical experience, I participated in an installation art exhibition organized by the Goethe Institute, which aimed to support graduating students. I collected polluted water from Truc Bach Lake and used a mechanical camera to capture images of the pollution. These photographs were printed and displayed publicly at an exhibition space on the second floor of the Vietnam University of Fine Arts, drawing 1,000 visitors within a week.
This project allowed me to merge artistic expression with environmental advocacy, engaging a broad audience in critical social issues.
I was lucky enough to remain the relationship with Mr. Tran Quoc Duc after so long, as he - not the first but the most prominent mentor of mine in art - allows me to have such random, casual rendezvous just to discuss a small sparks of idea or any question on art I have in mind