PARIS – An art exhibition entitled From the Seine to the Red River and the launch of the Vietnamese Cultural and Artistic Village in France (CCAVF) were held in the city of Arcueil on May 31, drawing artists, local officials, members of the Vietnamese community and lovers of Vietnamese culture in France.

The exhibition showcased more than 20 works by five Vietnamese artists – Trịnh Minh Tiến, Đỗ Hiệp, Trần Ngọc Anh, Trịnh Tuấn and Công Kim Hoa – representing different generations and artistic styles.

Presented across a variety of media, including silk, do paper, monoprints, acrylic painting and installation art, the works offered French audiences diverse perspectives on contemporary Vietnamese fine arts.

Speaking at the event, Director of the Việt Nam Cultural Centre in France Đinh Ngọc Đức stressed that art is a universal language capable of connecting people beyond geographical, linguistic and cultural boundaries.

He said each artwork not only reflects the beauty of the homeland and the depth of Việt Nam’s cultural heritage, but also conveys the aspirations, emotions and spirit of contemporary Vietnamese people.

In the context of deepening international integration, culture and the arts play a particularly important role in preserving national identity while enhancing the country’s soft power, he added.

According to Đức, the presentation of Vietnamese artworks in France is not merely an artistic activity but also a cultural bridge that helps strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of Việt Nam, France and other European countries.

He also highly appreciated the establishment of CCAVF, describing it as a platform for artists to meet, exchange ideas and promote Vietnamese cultural values to the international community.

Among the exhibition’s visitors was French comic illustrator Jean-Charles Sarrazin, who has maintained close ties with Vietnamese art for nearly four decades since studying in Hà Nội in the late 1980s.

He noted that Vietnamese art is gaining increasing international recognition, particularly through exhibitions and auction markets.

Representing the Vietnamese artists, painter Trịnh Tuấn, a lecturer at the University of Industrial Fine Arts, said the exhibition in Arcueil marks the beginning of a series of international artistic exchange activities in Europe. Following France, the group will introduce their works in Germany and Italy.

A highlight of the programme was the launch of CCAVF which aims to use culture as a bridge connecting the Vietnamese community in France and promote the image of Vietnam and its people to international friends.

Within the framework of the event, delegates also joined a seminar on the global outreach of Vietnamese culture and art, discussing opportunities and challenges in promoting Vietnamese cultural values abroad. Participants highlighted the importance of translation, bilingual cultural products and artistic exchanges in helping international audiences gain a deeper understanding of Vietnam’s rich cultural heritage. VNA/VNS