Cobweb by Nguyen Huy Tinh. The Young Artist Festival which opened last week at the Hanoi University of Arts offered a showcase for those who are passionate about installation art. On display are 57 works by 25 young artists nationwide. According to artist Dao Minh Tri, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association, the host of the event, works exhibited are divided into four types, including video art, performance art, sculpture and installation art. He also said that the festival is designed to encourage young artists who are keen on installation art, a genre that is still new in Vietnam. Artist Tran Luong, curator of the event, expressed the view that the majority of the works were of good artistic merit, including works by Nguyen Hong Hai, Ly Hoang Ly , Nguyen Xuan Hoa and Phan Thi Thao Nguyen. He also said that most of the works were premiering for the first time. He was however disappointed by the number of works which although of high quality, had previously been exhibited.   Rubber tree by Nguyen Ngoc Lam. He added that the exhibition should be seen as a playground for young artists to explore a new trend in Vietnamese contemporary art. The festival is sponsored by the Vietnam-Sweden Cultural Fund, the Denmark Fund and the Ministry of Culture and Information.   The exhibition will run until March 19.  By DIEU THUY Reprinted with permission from Nhan Dan Newspaper