Online ao dai exhibition

Online art event

The art program to raise awareness on COVID-19 prevention and control is the first online event organized by the Provincial Center for Culture and Cinema. The program was broadcast online on the evening of August 28 on Facebook pages and fan pages of the Department of Tourism, Department of Information and Communication, Department of Culture and Sports...The program created a positive effect when it attracted more than 6,000 live viewers and 12,000 followers.

With the theme "Together, united, determined to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic", the program presented the audience with special music and dance performances on the topic of COVID-19 prevention and control, such as Faith in Vietnam, Join hands to prevent and fight Corona, singing Chau van entitled "Fighting the pandemic like fighting the enemy", the Ghen Co Vy dance of washing hands, Dear Vietnam! beat Covid, etc. Singers and artists also sent their gratitude to frontline forces fighting the pandemic through the songs: Starlight at the frontline, White blouses, blue blouses...

In between the performances, the program also included messages on the complicated development of the pandemic, the efforts of the authorities, and called on people to raise awareness and responsibility in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recently, the online exhibition "Hue - The capital of ao dai Vietnam" organized by the Department of Culture and Sports also attracted the attention of the netizens. The exhibition lasted for 15 weeks, with one theme each week. The exhibition introduced to the public 15 clips containing images of the formation, preservation, and development of Ao dai Vietnam through many different perspectives as well as the process of building Hue into the “Capital of Ao dai Vietnam" ".

The clips were made under 15 themes, such as Hue - The cradle of Ao dai Vietnam; the origin of Ao dai Vietnam; Ao dai in the flow of culture and history; royal costumes; men's ao dai; women's ao dai; Hue ao dai; five-panel ao dai; from traditional to national costumes…

Since the exhibition took place online, the collection of images is large. Anyone could participate in sending beautiful photos of ao dai associated with ritual activities, traditional festival activities as well as daily activities.

While the museum is temporarily closed due to disease control, technology is an effective bridge for the museum to reach the public. Unable to go directly to the museum, visitors can still visit the Ho Chi Minh Museum and the relics associated with Uncle Ho in Thua Thien Hue through the 3D museum with vivid, clear 360-degree photos and a detailed introduction by the narrator.

As a culture and art enthusiast, Ms. Huynh Thu Trang (Hue City) shared: “Since many cultural and artistic events have been postponed due to the pandemic, the organization of cultural and artistic programs on the Internet is an effective solution. Despite the pandemic, the public still has a demand for art. Enjoying art is also a spiritual therapy to help dispel anxiety and stress."

Transforming the way of organizing

For a long time, cultural and artistic activities were suspended due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Without cultural enjoyment, social life can be quite bleak, especially when people are facing the frustration and pressure of the pandemic.

 “The transformation from organizing cultural and artistic activities on online platforms is a mandatory step while we are living amidst the pandemic. The Department of Culture and Sports has directed its affiliated units to increase the organization of online events," said Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports.

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hai, Director of the Center for Culture - Cinema, in the context of the epidemic, it is necessary to raise awareness on the prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic through art performances. The performances both encourage frontline forces and urge people to raise their sense of responsibility in disease prevention and control.

Instead of performing in the usual form on the stage with only a few hundred spectators, an online performance can attract thousands of viewers across the country, in every space, even hospitals and quarantine areas. Initially, actors and artists were not familiar with the stage without an audience, but through the process of training and rehearsing many times, they got used to the new form of performance.

Recently, several art exhibitions, talk shows, and workshops have also been organized online by artists and units to introduce artworks and programs to the public. Along with the development of technology and popular social platforms, organizing events online is becoming increasingly more popular and easier.

Art exhibitions and events are often held on social networking platforms, via personal Facebook pages, fan pages, websites, etc., partly to meet the public's demand for art enjoyment and exchange during the pandemic.

Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, added that during the pandemic, many places are under lockdown and isolated from society. Thus, organizing exhibitions and art events online is the only way to bring art closer to the public.

Soon, the Department of Culture and Sports will connect with other localities, such as Ho Chi Minh City and southern provinces affected by the pandemic, to organize online seminars on culture, such as stories about ao dai, cuisine, exploiting Hue cultural identity, Hue people, etc. Such programs can bring people enjoyment during the pandemic and are chances for them to listen to experts who are passionate about exchanging and contributing ideas for Hue.

Story and photo: Minh Hien