Artist paints nude works to raise funds for poor

Hua Thanh Binh, a painter and lecturer at the HCM City Culture and Art College, has put up a solo exhibition comprising 20 paintings of an imaginary woman, mostly in the nude, to raise money for the poor.

The oil on canvas works, which has opened at the HCM City Public Security Newspaper’s exhibition hall, features a new technique by the artist. Unlike in the past, when he used dark colours for his angular works, Binh has used bright, soft lines this time.

He painted them in 2008 and 2009 without using a model: "I just imagined and drew. My wife often asks me about the model in the paintings."

Tran Tu Van, deputy editor in chief of the paper, said the exhibition aims to revive the tradition of holding regular charity exhibitions to help the poor.

The newspaper used to hold the events until a few years ago.

Binh has held several solo and combined exhibitions since graduating from the Gia Dinh Fine Arts College in 1974. But this is his first for charity and he hopes all the pictures will be sold.

The exhibition runs until February 22nd at 110 Nguyen Du Street, District 1.

Ha Noi animal circus to make HCM City debut

The Ha Noi-based Le Hong Loc Animal Circus Group will perform in HCM City for the first time ever this Tet (Lunar New Year).

Meritorious artist Le Hong Loc, the circus’ manager, said there would be some novel items like monkeys walking on stilts and a crocodile biting a man’s head besides performances by clowns and magicians.

There will be two shows daily from February 14 to 21 at the September 23 Park in District 1. Tickets will cost VND50,000 for children and VND80,000 for adults.

The circus, established in 2004, has monkeys, bears, birds, goats, pythons, crocodiles, elephants, wolves, and cats.

Its bear show won a bronze medal at the International Circus Festival held in Wuhan, China, in 2008.

Historical film to be shot for Hanoi’s 1,000th anniversary

A major film on the history of Hanoi will start shooting on March 15 and will be shown on the 1,000th anniversary of the capital city, said the film director Luu Trong Ninh.

The film, entitled “Aspirations of Thang Long”, is about King Ly Cong Uan who decided to move the country’s capital from Hoa Lu to a broad area lying in the flat alluvial delta named Dai La, now Hanoi.

The film, produced by the Ky Nguyen Sang company, will be shot at a great number of traditional craft villages and many local people will be mobilised to take part in a war scene in the film, Ninh revealed.

However, the director has not disclosed who will play the main roles in the film, which is expected to be taken to international film festivals.

PV