Bui Xuan Phai award honours love for Hanoi

Hanoi (VNA) – Bui Xuan Phai award, which introduces to the public art works highlighting the beauty of Hanoi, has become an indispensible part of the capital city’s cultural life.

According to photographer Nguyen Huu Bao who won the award in 2017, the award is different from others as the organising board itself seeks and honours excellent artworks. Besides, although it is not tumultuously organised, it assumes great significance among Hanoians.

Photographer Nguyen Huu Bao at awards ceremony in 2017 (Photo: VNA)

“The award is a respect for those who have made silent contributions to the capital city’s culture and helped the public be aware of their art works and initiatives”, Bao said.

Additionally, the award has considerable prestige since members of the jury board has a high level of qualification, he added.

Photographer Nguyen Huu Bao cannot count how many photos of Hanoi he has taken, because it is always in his heart and his love of the thousand-year-old capital runs in his veins. He does not want to keep those photos of Hanoi for himself, but rather express his love for the city by showing them to people.

Bao chose about 200 black and white photos to print in a photo book entitled Hanoi dau yeu (My Dear Hanoi), which won Bui Xuan Phai prize in 2017.

Bao’s photographic collection records, but does not idealise, three decades (from 1978 to 2015) of everyday life in Hanoi. His images focus on the city’s dominant middle class that he knows so well.

Bao said that the award should look for art works with significant values and sustainability.

“I believe that the award should be varied in terms of nominations to honour more talents with strong love for Hanoi”, he said. 

Meanwhile, researcher Nguyen Ngoc Tien affirmed after 13 years of organisation, Bui Xuan Phai award has affirmed its prestige. Right from the very first years, the public saw the award not only reflected the city’s contemporary culture but also showed initiatives to develop the city.

Researcher Nguyen Ngoc Tien (Photo: VNA)

Popular musician Hong Dang has won Grand Prize of the annual Bui Xuan Phai - For the Love of Hanoi Awards 2021s.

The Grand Prize is among awards announced at the 14th Bui Xuan Phai -- For the Love of Hanoi Awards on October 28 by The Thao & Van Hoa (Culture & Sports) daily under Vietnam News Agency.

The awards were launched in 2008 by the paper and family of the late artist Bui Xuan Phai.

The awards aim to honour the contributions of individuals and organisations to Hanoi and their love for the capital city.

The musician could not come to receive the award due to his health problem. His wife, Ms. Le Anh Thuy, expressed her emotion at the awards ceremony.

“Composer Hong Dang had a difficult childhood, so he was full of emotions and cherished his days in Hanoi. The hard life seems to be the material for his works. I'm very touched when Hong Dang's creations are recognized, especially at a time when he doesn't have much time left," the musician's wife said.

Dang is honoured for his compositions about Hanoi including two prominent songs entitled Hoa Sua (Milkwood Pine Flower) and Ky Niem Thanh Pho Tuoi Tho (Memories of Childhood City).

The song Hoa Sua served as the main soundtrack for the movie Hanoi Mua Chim Lam To (Nesting Season in Hanoi) in 1978.

Like many famous songs that were originally from the movie, Hoa Sua became popular even though the lyrics do not include the word Hanoi.

Born in Yen Thanh district, the central province of Nghe An, Dang came to Hanoi to study at the first generation of Vietnam National Academy of Music.

"The jury made a good decision to give the Grand Prize to musician Hong Dang," said Do Hong Quan, Chairman of Vietnam Union of Literary and Arts Associations./.