UOB invites Viet artists to draw on their creative talent in 2nd UOB Painting of the Year Competition
This UOB flagship art competition aims to help Viet artists reach wider regional audience.
From left to right: Ms Pham Tieu Giang, Team Lead of Strategic Communications and Brand, Associate Professor Dr Nguyen Nghia Phuong, Vice Principal of Vietnam University of Fine Arts, Mr Ma The Anh, Head of Fine Arts Department, Photography and Exhibition, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam, Mr Victor Ngo, CEO of UOB Vietnam, Artist Dang Xuan Hoa-Chief Judge, Artist Chau Giang - Judge, Artist Trinh Tuan - Judge.
Hanoi, Vietnam, 7 May, 2024 – UOB Vietnam today launched the second UOB Painting of the Year (UOB POY) competition, welcoming all emerging and established Vietnam artists to submit their creative works. The launch ceremony was held at Vincom Center for Contemporary Art (VCCA) and graced by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Ma The Anh, Head of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition Department from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Vietnam.
The flagship UOB POY competition, one of the most prestigious art competitions in Southeast Asia, exemplifies UOB’s long-term support for the regional art scene. The competition expanded to Vietnam for its inaugural edition last year, providing Vietnamese artists with the opportunity to showcase their talents alongside their counterparts from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. The competition has uncovered more than 1,000 artistic talents across the region to date.
“Vietnam has a vibrant art scene teeming with many young talents, as seen from the numerous outstanding artworks we received for our first UOB POY competition in Vietnam last year. As a leading patron of the arts in Asia, we aspire to foster an environment conducive to the discovery and growth of Vietnamese artists, making art more accessible and inspiring the next generation of talent. Through the competition, we want to continue uncovering and nurturing artistic talents, and showcase their works to a wider community in Vietnam and across the region.” Mr Victor Ngo, CEO of UOB Vietnam shared.
From left to right: Artist Trinh Tuan, Artist Dang Xuan Hoa, Mr Victor Ngo, Mr Ma The Anh, Artist Luong Xuan Doan, Artist Chau Giang perform the opening ceremony of the 2nd UOB Painting of the Year in Vietnam.
UOB Vietnam will also be holding “Art Talk shows” across various venues in Ha Noi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City, providing platforms for interaction among local art communities and art students, and for art enthusiasts to be inspired by leading experts, professional artists and UOB POY winners.
Inaugural competition winners share their works with a wider audience
Between October 2023 and April 2024, UOB Vietnam organised exhibitions across Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Hue. The eight winners from the first UOB POY competition in Vietnam exhibited their award-winning artworks and other works to a large art-loving public, attracting thousands of art enthusiasts.
The winning artists also participated in art showcases overseas, to further enrich their artistic experiences and promote Vietnamese fine arts regionally. The winning artworks were exhibited at National Gallery Singapore.
Additionally, UOB Vietnam profiled winning artists at prestigious international art fairs. These include artist Duong Ngoc Tuan, Bronze winner in the Established Artist Category, who attended and exhibited at Art Jakarta in Indonesia in November 2023; and artist Trinh Minh Tien, top winner in the Established Artist Category, who attended and exhibited at Art Central Hong Kong in March 2024.
Artist Trinh Minh Tien added: “Winning the UOB POY has gifted me with so many opportunities to deepen my engagement and broaden my artistic horizon in the art scene, reinforcing my belief that contemporary art knows no bounds. I am grateful and inspired by UOB’s efforts to connect the art community across borders."
Call for entries of 2nd UOB Painting of the Year competition in Vietnam
The call for entries for the second UOB POY competition in Vietnam is open from today till 1 August, to all Vietnamese citizens and permanent residents. Artists are invited to submit original paintings created within the last two years, with no entry fee required. Entries can be submitted digitally via website.
A panel of judges comprising prominent figures in the Vietnam art scene will select the winning artworks based on their creativity, technique and expression of ideas.
Chief Judge and artist Dang Xuan Hoa said, "I am honoured to be judging the second UOB POY competition in Vietnam. I was a judge for the UOB POY Competition in Singapore over a decade ago, and it feels amazing to do this again. This competition is a valuable opportunity for artists, especially young ones, to showcase their talents and learn about new and modern art styles. To establish their footing on a regional stage, Vietnamese artists need to infuse their creativity with new, modern ideas, while staying rooted in Vietnamese national traditions and maintaining their unique identity. I hope this year’s competition will attract many excellent works and help Vietnam further grow its presence on the regional art map."
The winners of the second UOB POY in Vietnam will be announced at an award ceremony and the winning paintings will be showcased in a public exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City in October 2024. The top artist in Vietnam will win VND 500 million and a chance to compete for the prestigious UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year award (worth an additional SGD$13,000) and an artist residency programme. The regional winner will be announced at the regional award ceremony in Singapore in November.
For further details on how to enter the competition, please visit UOBandArt.com and refer to Appendix A.