Sculpture is one of the occupations with a long tradition in Binh Duong and is also one of the eight majors trained at Binh Duong Fine Arts and Culture Junior College. Recently, sculptor Chau Tram Anh, a school teacher, has won many high prizes at provincial, regional and national competitions.
Leaders of Provincial People's Council and Chairman of Provincial Literature and Arts Association take photos with sculptor Chau Tram Anh (right end) next to her piece “Tình ca phương Nam”.
In recent years, indoor and outdoor statues are often created with topics that are getting closer to nature, in accordance with architecture and landscape, and contain the artists' thoughts and contemplations about modern life, convey clear social and current messages. With a white stone sculpture called “Tình ca phương Nam” (Southern Love Song), sculptor Chau Tram Anh won second prize (no first prize) at the five-year national sculpture competition and exhibition directed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism directs and organzied by Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibitions in collaboration with relevant agencies.
Sharing this joy, sculptor Chau Tram Anh said that the process of coming up with ideas and completing this piece gave him a great joy and bursting happiness when “Tình ca phương Nam” is one of three pieces winning second prize at the competition. This artwork depicts the image of a horse-drawn carriage, a very typical and popular vehicle in the ancient Southern province, most famous among migrant artisans of Thu Dau Mot land from the North and Central regions to established settlement; they created beautiful designs, carried flower baskets in the spring; the image of a young man holding an instrument symbolizes “đờn ca tài tử” (Southern amateur folk music) following the migrants to the South to reclaim land; the image of a woman holding a ceramic vase symbolizes the traditional craft villages that were soon present in the new land from the early days and from the couple's love gradually grew into the love of family, people, country...
With countless difficulties in a new land, but with love and care for each other, they developed together and found happiness. The image of a horse's head is made of rubber tree trunks, rattles and the horse's mane are drops of “white gold” (i.e. rubber latex) that in the past our ancestors as laborers exchanged their blood and their lives for, this gives viewers a lot to think about. The image of the carriage's body as a traditional pottery kiln mixed in the smoke and mist of the new dawn gives viewers a multi-dimensional perspective.
According to young sculptor Chau Tram Anh, all of the above images are combined in a coherent and harmonious layout using a simple, stylized visual language, using descriptive images to convey messages of love and optimism in future life through white stone material further highlights the idea of optimism - generosity - hospitality of the land and people of the South. They always open their arms to welcome friends from all over to gather and together build a new life filled with happiness that spreads to many places.
“As participating in this contest, I received a lot of attention and suggestions from veteran Vietnamese sculptors, artists, and painters about creating art with a modern, but traditional breath, cultural depth... Thereby, the comments helped me have more ideas to create more perfect works. Hopefully, the piece of sculpture will be loved and meet the demand of contemporary art, contributing to improving Binh Duong's position in the domestic and international art circles," sculptor Chau Tram Anh said.
Reported by Thuc Van - Translated by Ngoc Huynh
