Environment-themed online exhibition features Vietnamese, foreign artists

 A painting by Pham Binh Chuong that is featured at the “Story of the River” online exhibition (Photo: Courtesy of organizer)

Huong Giang, founder of the Song Foundation, said she got the idea for the exhibition after witnessing serious drought and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta.

“When we stop deforestation and over-exploitation of river sand, we will be able to protect underground water and soil. The whole community needs to join hands for a more sustainable ecosystem,” she said.

The “Story of the River” exhibition presents beautiful artworks by Vietnamese artists such as Nguyen Van The, Nguyen Quoc Thai, Le Dinh Nguyen, Ton That Bang, Doan Hoang Lam and Pham Binh Chuong.

The exhibition also features painters Nicolaos D. Kanellos of Greece and Hadi Soesanto of Indonesia.

Highlights of the event are creations by Kanellos, former Greek Ambassador to Vietnam, through which the audience will experience his love for Vietnam and its people.

During his term in Vietnam, Kanellos spent time discovering the beauty of Vietnam, and the country’s culture, lifestyle and heritage have inspired his paintings.

In 2017, he presented 12 paintings from his collection to the Vietnamese Museum of Fine Arts and four others to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“I want my paintings to express my true emotions. These paintings reflect the truthfulness and purity of my feelings," he said at the gifting ceremony held by the Greek Embassy in Vietnam and the museum.

Born in Greece in 1954, Kanellos is not only a diplomat, but also an artist, a musician and a writer. His paintings belong to many private collections including eminent names around the world. Two of his paintings are exhibited at the International Airport E. Venizelos in Athens.

The “Story of the River” exhibition is open throughout July via https://bit.ly/3yUO7jY.

In the final week of the exhibition, the Song Foundation will host four online auctions on its Facebook page to raise seed funding for the community-based cultural project “River Oi”, the foundation’s core initiative that aims to promote creativity, corporate social responsibility, sustainable development and environmental protection.

During the execution of the stay-at-home mandate amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic, the online exhibition is also expected to help viewers feel more inspired and motivated by enjoying beautiful artworks at home. 

Since 2013, the Song Foundation has organized more than 20 art shows to raise funds for its community projects such as “River Oi”, “Flood-resilient Homes” and “Green Happiness”.