Japanese artists teach painting, award scholarships to students on Vietnam’s Con Dao Island

The activity was organized by the Vietnam–Japan Friendship Association in Ho Chi Minh City, the Ao Dai Museum, and the Nang Mai Artists Club.

Participating in the program were Japanese artists Takayuki Tomoi and Yoshihisa Sano, along with Vietnamese artists Huynh Hai Phuong Thao, Nguyen Thi Khuyen, and Tran Thi Dao from the Nang Mai Artists Club.

From September 21 to 23, the five artists, joined by volunteers, held two short-term art workshops for about 100 students at Cao Van Ngoc Elementary School and Le Hong Phong Middle School.

According to Huynh Ngoc Van, director of the Ao Dai Museum and initiator of the painting classes, this program was resumed after a hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, the team conducted separate workshops for elementary and middle school students. 

The children were excited to participate, as their remote island's location limits access to art education compared to students on the mainland.

Artists Takayuki Tomoi and Yoshihisa Sano conducted the workshops during their visit to Vietnam for the 2025 Sac Thu (Autumn Colors) exhibition at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts.

Tomoi is the artistic director of the nonprofit Be Creative and has been active in the arts for over 23 years.

He has held 27 solo exhibitions in Japan and internationally.

Sano, a member of the Osaka Sculpture Association, has over 30 years of experience and 19 solo exhibitions to his name.

Van also noted that in 2018 and 2019, the Vietnam–Japan Friendship Association in Ho Chi Minh City organized similar painting workshops on Con Dao, which were highly appreciated by local teachers and students and eagerly anticipated each year.

From 2013 to 2017, when Van served as director of the War Remnants Museum, she coordinated annual painting classes and competitions on Con Dao with various partners.

“Con Dao has never had art teachers, so the school curriculum does not include visual arts. But children love drawing. In each class, every student receives a box of crayons, which makes them very excited,” said Van.

In addition to painting, the program included origami, making ao dai-shaped lanterns, decorating conical hats and piggy banks, and culminated with the awarding of 32 scholarships to students in difficult circumstances.