Belgian Museum opens Vietnamese Culture Space

The Belgian Royal Museum of Fine Arts has opened its“Vietnamese Culture Space” on October 11, marking the 40thanniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. The exhibition’s two sections display ancient Vietnamese relics and artifacts and introduce Vietnamese culture through multimedia presentations. The photo collection of Clement Huet, a Hanoi resident between 1912 and 1938, is one of its centrepieces. Visitors can also admire Bat Trang ceramics, Dong Son bronze drums, and stone jewellery dating from the Sa Huynh period. Films document the processes involved in making Bat Trang ceramics, Dong Ho woodblock prints, and bronze bells. Belgium’s House of Representatives President André Flahaut said the exhibition embodies the two nations’ cultural, artistic, economic, and diplomatic connections. Deputy Belgian Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders said one can trace the development of the Vietnamese nation through the artifacts each period left behind. He particularly enjoyed the parts of the exhibition devoted to Vietnamese cuisine. The cultural space is open until May 2014. VOV