Illegal action: A photo by journalist Vien Su from Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper featuring a Chinese ship attacking a Vietnamese vessel near the illegal oil rig site is on display at the Vietnam's Sovereignty over Sea and Islands exhibition.

The exhibition, titled Vietnam's Sovereignty over Sea and Islands, includes the most up-to-date images of the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa islands during the ongoing tensions since China illegally deployed the Haiyang Shiyou-981 oil rig in Vietnam's waters.

"Sea, islands and fishermen are popular subjects for our photographers," Vu Khanh, chairman of the Vietnam Photographers Association said. "That's why we have plenty of photos to exhibit. I think this collection is our photographers' protest against China's intrusion.

"I think the latest images from Thanh Nien and Tuoi Tre newspapers provide the public with evidence of China's aggression and Vietnam's desire for peace," he stressed.

However, Khanh said that more photos of offshore fishermen who actually work at sea should be added to confirm Vietnam's sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracels) and Truong Sa (Spratly) islands.

According to Vi Kien Thanh, head of the Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition Department, they received 300 entries in just four days, 112 of which were chosen for the exhibition.

"The shortlisted photos have certain artistic value and content quality," he said.

"Just a few minutes after the exhibition opened, we received requests from Hung Yen Province and the Vietnam Centre for Exhibition and Arts to borrow the collection when the exhibition ends. It shows the powerful effect the photos have already had."

Visitor Nguyen Tien Dung said the photos were realistic images of the country's beautiful and rich seas, where fishermen and navy soldiers live and guard Vietnam's sovereignty.

"I have never felt life on the islands so close," he said.

The exhibition, which was co-organised by the Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition Department, the Vietnam University of Fine Arts and the Vietnam Photographers Association, will run at Exhibition House, 29 Hang Bai Street, until June 5.

Artful patriotism

In a separate event, a music video of Vietnam's national anthem featuring more than 1,000 people was released on Tuesday on youtube.

According to musician Ngo Minh Hoang, who was responsible for mixing the music, the initial idea was to gather performing artists.

"But then a children's choir, war veterans, journalists, white-collar employees, students, actors, models, fashion designers, painters and photographers turned up," he said.

All of them wore t-shirts and ao dai (traditional long dress) with images of the national flag. The video also features beautiful scenes of the nation's seas and islands. Veteran painter Pham Luc announced at the opening ceremony of his ongoing exhibition titled Brilliant May at Exhibition House, 16 Ngo Quyen Street, that he would give VND30 million (US$1,500) to Vietnam's Coast Guard Force from sales of his paintings.

Photographer Jundat (real name Nguyen Dang Long) plans to make a collection of portraits of Vietnamese and foreign people with the Vietnamese flag in the background, then combine all the portraits into Vietnam's map.

"More than 300 people of various nationalities have signed up to join the project," Long said.