Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Over 200 modern and traditional designs ofapplied fine art works by 138 authors throughout the country are on display atthe 5th National Fine Arts Exhibition.

The works are finalists selected from 538 entries to a competition launchedmore than four months ago which saw the participation of 183 authors from 25localities in the country.

Addressing the exhibition's opening ceremony on September 13, culture deputyminister Ta Quang Dong admitted that the competition is a big cultural eventhosted by the ministry and other concerned agencies to praise creative resultsby domestic artists in the past three years.

“The event encourages and orientates artists to create and design products withapplicability and aesthetic values,” he said. “The event also helps enhance theconnection between designers, handicraft artisans, producers, distributors andcustomers.”

The organisers awarded two sets of prizes including 22 prizes to the mostdistinguished works of two categories, namely creative design and applicableproducts.

The creative design prizes include a first prize, two second prizes, three thirdprizes. The first prize of 30 million VND (1,269 USD) in cash went to the groupof Le Thi Thu Thao, Bui Hanh Luu and Tran Thi Le Quyen (from Hanoi FPTUniversity) for the work titled “Unzipped – Support Teenagers on Genders andPrevent Sexual Abuse”.

In the applicable product category, there was no first prize awarded while twosecond, four third and five encouragement prizes were given.

Two second prizes, each worth 20 million VND were given to Le Duy Duc (from thenorthern province of Son La) with a work titled Co Tu Mon (Gate of Old Pagoda)and Nguyen Van Tinh (from Hanoi) with a work titled Binh Hoa Dan Tre (FlowerVase made by Bamboo Knitting).

Deputy Minister Dong said this is a chance for art lovers to see a variety ofmaterials, forms of creation, diversity in graphic art and product design.

“Artists have various fresh ideas and designs with the most up-to-datetechnology trends and diverse ways of expressions aiming to community benefit,”he said.

The official highlighted that the applicable product category has variousproducts based on a traditional handicraft foundation.

“The two categories reflect the present life of Vietnamese applicable finearts, with traditional values going along with technology development andinternational design trend,” he said.

The exhibition will run until September 27 at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology inHanoi./.