Connecting heritage journeys through calligraphy.
As part of the "Quang Nam - Journey of Heritage" festival, scheduled to be held in June 2013 in Quang Nam, an exhibition of 100 calligraphy paintings depicting world and Vietnamese heritage sites and wonders will be held, created by artist Do Minh Nhan.
Artisan Do Minh Nhan
Artist Do Minh Nhan said he spent nearly two years researching world heritage sites and wonders such as Mount Fuji (Japan), Genoa (Italy), Agvinon (France), and Vietnamese heritage sites like Ha Long Bay, Hue Imperial City, Hoi An, and My Son. To date, artist Minh Nhan has completed 80 calligraphic paintings and is working diligently on the remaining 20.
Each painting is inspired by images of UNESCO-recognized cultural heritage sites from various countries, with notes on the history and distinctive features of each site located in the right-hand corner of each painting.
The collection not only showcases the enduring connection and richness of Vietnamese culture and people, but also reflects the exchange with cultures from around the world, allowing friends and visitors to experience the closeness and warmth of this cultural fusion.
Artisan Minh Nhan shared that as soon as Hoi An was officially recognized as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1999, he realized that he needed to do something to highlight the beauty of the national culture.
Coming from a family with a Confucian scholarly tradition, he chose calligraphy as a way to express his love for Hoi An and to honor the beauty of national culture.
Artist Minh Nhàn is currently the only calligrapher in Hoi An who still preserves the most ancient images of Hoi An from the past to the present through the art of calligraphy.
Every year, on New Year's Eve and the full moon night in Hoi An's old town, Mr. Nhan organizes the "Old Calligraphers' Club at Street Corners," giving away calligraphy and paintings to young people and calligraphy enthusiasts. For tourists and young people passionate about calligraphy, in addition to giving away paintings and couplets, Mr. Nhan is also happy to pass on his passion and calligraphy skills.
Sharing his thoughts on the collection of 100 World Heritage calligraphy paintings, Mr. Nhan said the idea came to him when he and a few friends attended several festivals in various countries. He said: "I think the collection is a warm welcome, showing the hospitality of the host to friends from all over the world. It would be wonderful for international tourists to visit Hoi An and be able to see images of their country's heritage exhibited here."
Besides creating calligraphy paintings on paper, artist Minh Nhàn also regularly creates calligraphy on materials such as silk, wood, iron, copper, and stone. Notably, he has created several works transforming calligraphy into calligraphic paintings (writing characters as paintings), a relatively new art form, with the desire to help viewers see the traditions and lifestyle of the Vietnamese people.
Artist Minh Nhan has won Gold Medals at cultural exhibitions in Da Lat in 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2010; First Prize in the Vietnamese Haiku poetry writing competition at the 10th Vietnam-Japan Cultural Exchange; and a Gold Medal in calligraphy from the Quang Nam Ornamental Plants Association…
According to (Chinhphu.vn) - LC
