Organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition, the exhibition present Vietnam’s best oil paintings which have been selected from more than 1,000 paintings submitted by nearly 550 artists nationwide.

Artist Hoang Duc Toan, Head of the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition said “In Vietnam, together with other painting materials, such as lacquer and silk, oil on canvas is a part of modern fine arts. Although an oil painting wasn’t introduced in the country until the beginning of the last century, the material was soon accepted by Vietnamese painters and now more and more painters choose this kind of material for their creativity.”

He also said the national oil painting exhibition 2008 – the biggest of its kind- will give the fine arts circle as well as the public a general view about the development of oil painting in Vietnam in recent years.”

Evaluating the paintings sent to the exhibition this year, painter Vi Kien Thanh, member of the exhibition’s art council said most of the entries are contemporary paintings, reflecting aspect of social life. Particularly paintings by young artists show their ability to keep pace with the flow of history of modern arts.

A seminar discussing the development of oil painting in Vietnamese fine arts and the role of young artists will also be held on November 14, 2008.

The exhibition will run through November 16, 2008.

National exhibitions on lacquer paintings and silk paintings were also held by the Fine Arts Department in 2006 and 2007.