Old Quarter Fashion Week (#OQFW)

OLD QUARTER FASHION WEEK (#OQFW)

VIETNAM - KOREA JOINT PROJECT “PUBLIC ART FOR BETTER SPACE”

Curated by NGUYỄN THẾ SƠN

OLD QUARTER FASHION WEEK (#OQFW)

VIETNAM - KOREA JOINT PROJECT “PUBLIC ART FOR BETTER SPACE”

Curated by NGUYỄN THẾ SƠN

OLD QUARTER FASHION WEEK (#OQFW)

VIETNAM - KOREA JOINT PROJECT “PUBLIC ART FOR BETTER SPACE”

ARTWORK INFORMATION

Material: Composite Relief

Dimensions: 420 cm x 470 cm

Time: October 2017 - February 2018

Location: Phung Hung Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, Vietnam

Material: Composite Relief

Dimensions: 420 cm x 470 cm

Time: October 2017 - February 2018

Location: Phung Hung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam

« The relief is inspired by “Dragon Dance”, a famous Hang Trong folk painting. The meaning of the relief is believed to be amplified when placed in the Old Quarter Hanoi, where this line of paintings were founded, developed and passed down from generation to generation.

Globalization, accompanied by the national economic development, has brought new values and luxuries to our country. Keeping warm and being well fed no longer suffice; we now aim higher, for nice clothes and tasty food. In the old days, ordinary and plain outfits were everywhere to be found on the streets. However, nowadays, world-renowned fashion brands are very much in vogue and easy to spot in Hanoi. Reflecting on both the past and present, you might once wonder what if the lively characters in those folk paintings stepped out of the original artworks and lived in the modern time. That was how the idea of reinventing the “Dragon Dance” painting, with children in clothes of famous brands, crossed my mind.

Behind the relief also lies the intent of a millennial artist to preserve the traditional art and brought a breath of fresh air to Phung Hung arches at the same time. If you have an opportunity to visit the public art space on Phung Hung Street, or simply walk past the relief by chance, don’t hesitate to capture the moment, share it with your beloved one and spread the community with the hashtag “OQFW” (Old Quarter Fashion Week). »

« The relief is inspired by “Dragon Dance”, a famous Hang Trong folk painting. The meaning of the relief is believed to be amplified when placed in the Old Quarter Hanoi, where this line of paintings were founded, developed and passed down from generation to generation.

Globalization, accompanied by the national economic development, has brought new values and luxuries to our country. Keeping warm and being well fed no longer suffice; we now aim higher, for nice clothes and tasty food. In the old days, ordinary and plain outfits were everywhere to be found on the streets. However, nowadays, world-renowned fashion brands are very much in vogue and easy to spot in Hanoi. Reflecting on both the past and present, you might once wonder what if the lively characters in those folk paintings stepped out of the original artworks and lived in the modern time. That was how the idea of reinventing the “Dragon Dance” painting, with children in clothes of famous brands, crossed my mind.

Behind the relief also lies the intent of a millennial artist to preserve the traditional art and brought a breath of fresh air to Phung Hung arches at the same time. If you have an opportunity to visit the public art space on Phung Hung Street, or simply walk past the relief by chance, don’t hesitate to capture the moment, share it with your beloved one and spread the community with the hashtag “OQFW” (Old Quarter Fashion Week). »

THE DETAILS

Photo Credit: Thành Trung

THE MAKING OF

The final sketch and the original "Dragon Dance" Hang Trong painting.

The artwork was inspired by "Dragon Dance," a Dong Ho folk painting which I happened to see in Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts. The composition of the final sketch was a re-position based on the original artwork to fit with the arch with additional details.I want to make this artwork with a more durable and unconventional material, so I choose compositie relief rather than just a mural. Big thanks to my friend, Hong Giang, a sculpture-graduated from Vietnam University of Fine Arts helped me turn my vision into reality based on my sketch. Below are some of photos taken during the making of the artwork.

And finally a picture of me wearing my specially designed "áo-dài" posing next to the artwork!

And finally a picture of me wearing my specially designed "áo-dài" next to the artwork!