(VOVworld) - The Global Eye Program established by Parallel Contemporary Art (PCA) has arrived in Vietnam. This is a program to support emerging artists in Asia. In Vietnam, the program is implementing the “Vietnam Eye” project to support Vietnamese artists through exhibitions and book publications.

On June 1, Parallel Contemporary Art and AIA Vietnam held a conference to introduce “AIA Vietnam Eye” program.(Photo: thieunien.vn)

The “Global Eyes” program first made its debut in South Korea in 2009. “Vietnam Eye” is in the process of selecting artists to take part in the “Vietnam Eye” exhibition. As part of the project, an exhibition “Like a Life” was held in Hanoi, featuring photos by two promising artists Nguyen Trung, the co-founder of Fujifilm X Vietnam forum and Chu Viet Ha, the only Vietnamese executive of street photo forum APF. Artist Tran Luong, consultant to “Vietnam Eye” said: “This project has been implemented in many countries, especially in East Asia. Project investors, and organizers are focusing on countries which have developing arts. The project aims to promote the culture of those countries to the world. Vietnam is the 8^th country to implement the project, after South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. The project helps to facilitate the development of Vietnam’s contemporary art”.

The exhibition displays works by Vietnam’s well-known and emerging artists. As part of the project, from now to next January, “Vietnam Eye” also includes a number of activities, including conferences, workshops and forums held between Vietnamese and foreign artists. 75 outstanding Vietnamese contemporary artists are introduced in a book called “Vietnam Eye”. A number of works by Vietnamese artists will be selected for the Saatchi art fair, an exhibition showcasing the latest prestigious art trends in London, in September, 2017. This is a good opportunity for Vietnamese artists to show off their talent and introduce their work to the world.

The “Vietnam Eye” project is also supported by the British Council, British and Italian ambassadors to Vietnam, and some other Vietnamese and British agencies. Giles Lever, British ambassador to Vietnam, said: “In the strategic partnership between the British and Vietnamese governments, we have a section on people-to-people and, you know, that explicitly says both governments will welcome and support efforts to increase cultural and artistic exchanges, including through exhibitions and the development of our respect toward cultures. So I think this is a fantastic opportunity, again, to help the new wave of Vietnamese contemporary artists reconnect with people who love art and people who appreciate arts around the world, including in the UK. And that’s why I, my colleagues in the embassy, and my colleagues at the British Council will actively offer their support throughout the campaign”.

Saatchi Gallery, London (Photo: thieunien.vn)

Mr. Wayne Beasant, General Director of the AIA Vietnam Insurance Company, one of the units to implement the project “Vietnam Eye”, said: “We see arts and culture as being a very important part of enriching people’s lives and, for us, AIA Vietnam doing a lot with local communities. We’ve been in Vietnam since the year 2000. The last 16 years has been about connecting with communities and we know that arts and culture aid education a lot, particularly for young people. It enriches people’s lives, and it gives us the ability to innovate and to connect with our communities, which is what AIA Vietnam is all about”.  

So far, the “Global Eye” program has organized 28 exhibitions and issued 8 books on Asia’s contemporary art.