Pupils from Dong Ha Primary School in Ha Giang Province stand besides their work at the Fine Arts and Photography Exhibition Centre, in Hang Bai Street, Hanoi
"This year's goal is not only to bring arts to children from mountainous areas but to do something more meaningful for ethnic people. The children have created 35 paintings. Some will be displayed at the exhibition and the rest will be transferred to designer Huulala Saigon," he said.
He went on to say that the designer clothes would also be displayed at the exhibition so that people living in mountainous areas see that they could make a living out of arts too.
The management board has collaborated with various artists to help raise public's awareness about social problems and teach disadvantaged children arts. After four seasons, the artists have painted murals for many primary schools and taught over 600 children ageing from six to ten in Ha Giang Province and Co To Island.
Painter Tran Tuan Long said, "We want to preserve ethnic identities so that they can see that their surrounding environment and cultures are some of their most valuable things."
After being displayed in Vietnam, the exhibition will be held in Taiwan. The fund for the project comes from the sale of artwork in Vietnam and Taiwan.
The Mountain Star Charity Project has been held annually since 2014. It is initiated by Taiwanese postgraduate, Kuo Yen Wei, and jointly implemented by the Hanoi College of Art as well as Vietnamese associations of contemporary arts.
Kuo Yen Wei is pursuing his PhD degree in Vietnamese Studies at Vietnam National University, Hanoi. He is very interested in Vietnam modern arts and has close connections with many young artists in Hanoi. After marrying a Bo Y ethnic woman in Ha Giang Province, he returned to Taiwan and called for funds to set up the project.
An artist is painting a work with some children for the project
Many Japanese, German and Chinese volunteers who are living and working in Vietnam have participated in the project along with lecturers at Hanoi College of Arts, art groups of Son Ta Vietnam, Black and Beef Shank Studio. Currently, there are 95 artists and 20 volunteers in the project. Many of them have joined since the beginning.
Painter Nguyen Minh Dong said his style had changed a lot after three years of working with mountainous children, especially after he saw how a blind child used colours so vibrantly.
Painter Nguyen Truong Linh also said his style had changed after two years. His painting about a spiritual rock in Ha Giang Province was sold for USD7,000 in Taiwan.
The artists are planning to expand the project to the Central Highlands next year.
