In 2001, Norwegian sculptor Oyvin Storbaekken was invited to Vietnam by his local counterparts in the Fine Art Associations in Hanoi and Danang. On the basis of long tradition of stone-carving in Norway and Vietnam, they conceived a project to train stone-carvers and sculptors in order to share their skills, ideas and knowledge. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) via Norwegian Embassy of Vietnam sponsored this pilot project from 1 st December 2001 to 1 st July 2002 .

In 2002, Nordic Church Assistance (NCA)'s local chapter in Vietnam, namely Nordic Assistance to Vietnam (NAV), came onboard with 4-year funding from Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD). NAV is involvement and NORAD's funding made it possible to launch a full fledged project.

The People's Committee of Danang gave approval and assigned Literature & Art Union and Fine Art Association of Danang to be the local partners with NAV.

Danang Sculpture Project was officially opened in early 2003 and ended at the end of June 2009.

In order to inherit and expand the achievements of the Project, with the initiative of the Danang Union of Literature and Arts Associations and the Danang Fine Arts Association, the Danang Sculpture Foundation has been established by the Danang People's Committee since 25 June 2009. The Foundation, a non- profit, non governmental organization, operates for the development of sculpture and culture in Danang, Vietnam.

For more information about our history, please read the article about the Danang Sculpture Center on the magazine of art in Norway "Kunst for alle"

 

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Sculptor Oyvin Storbaekken, Founder of Danang Sculpture Project
Photographer: Ho Xuan Bon/Hồ Xuân Bổn

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