Through unique imagery, Đặng Thai Tuấn’s "Ha Noi Rong" won first prize in the contest. Photo courtesy of the contest.

HÀ NỘI — The painting Ha Noi Rong (Ha Noi on a Vendor’s Yoke) has won first prize at the “Ha Noi la…” (Ha Noi is…) art contest on Wednesday. Artist Đặng Thai Tuấn's winning piece shows some of Ha Noi’s most iconic symbols, balancing on a vendor’s yoke. 

Highlighting architectural symbols such as Hồ Chí Minh’s mausoleum, traditional cuisines like vermicelli with fried tofu and shrimp paste, and even one of Ha Noi most recognisable sights (tangled electrical wires!), the capital through Tuấn eyes is both simple and full of colour.

 

Trần Phat’s “Hanoi by Night” won the second prize and the most voted prize. Photo courtesy of the contest.

Beside Ha Noi Rong, there were four second prizes awarded; to Trần Phat's Hanoi by Night (most voted prize), Head in the Clouds by Ha Mạnh Hiếu, Goose Vermicelli by Ton Nữ Thị Bích Tram and Hanoi Collage by Nguyễn Hữu Huyền Tran.

The contest, organised by UNESCO, UN-Habitat and the Vietnam Local Artist Group, was to encourage young artists to showcase the "Ha Noi Creative City" title awarded by UNESCO in 2019, with their illustrations and drawings.

From August 6 to September 9, 2021, the contest received artwork from nearly 250 young artists, both in Viet Nam and abroad.

With the theme: ''Hanoi is…'', the artists were expected to deliver the unique ideas, stories and emotions provoked by the capital through their works. During the contest, many creative ideas were expressed, with diverse materials from digital painting, silk, oil painting and lacquer. VNS