New Chapter - IAPLC 2022 | Top 5 | Bronze Prize - TrungPhan/VietNam

The first Bronze Prize went to the work with its fresh greenery and soft expression.

The compositional material is stone, and although a large number of stones are used, the hardness of the stones disappears and the soft impression is created by the mosses and epiphytic aquatic plants effectively placed on the surface. In addition, the flexible tape-shaped aquatic plants in the background and the bright green Eleochalis acicularis planted in front of the stones enhance the soft impression of the aquascape and give it a more refreshing look. The fish also fit the aquascape well, making it a pleasant work that is typical of a planted aquarium

Bronze Prize (World Ranking No. 5) Mr. Trung Phan (Vietnam) New chapter/新章 W120XD65XH50(cm) t The fifth place in the world ranking (Bronze Prize) was a work called "New chapter" by Mr. Trung Phan from Vietnam, which scored total 1,235 points. This work was selected individually as one of the top 10 works by 5 out of 10 judges, and Mr. Shogo Yamaguchi (Japan) selected it as his Best Aquarium. Comments from Mr. Shogo Yamaguchi (Japan) I think the layout is dignified without being eccentric. It is orthodox, yet has an appeal that draws you in. The skeletal IWAGUMI does not make an extreme statement, giving the impression of the work that is different from those that are based on finished drawings. What is symbolic is the large cave visible in the IWAGUMI on the right side, which appears to be the result of a trial-and-error process to bring out the best of the materials at hand. The rough IWAGUMI is softened by the gentle texture of the mosses. Although the layout with many mosses tends to be dark, the back screen and white cosmetic sand make it a bright landscape. These contradictory elements are in per- fect harmony with each other, and seem to enhance the perfection of the work. What came to mind when I saw this work was Mr. Amano's earlier collections of works, "Glass no Naka no Daishizen" and "Mizu - Shizen eno Kaiki". One can only imagine what the creator had in mind for "New chapter", but perhaps it is a message from the creator that he has gone back to his roots and found the future of layout there

I aimed to create an aquascape that evokes a sense of peace and tranquility by making the most of the materials on hand

Q: Please tell us your thoughts on receiving the award?
A: I was very nervous when I was watching the countdown of the winning entries. When they started announcing the top 7, my work had not yet been announced and I thought my chances of winning were zero. But when the world ranking 5 was shown on the screen, it was beyond my imagination and I jumped up and down and screamed so loud that I lost myself. It was a memorable result and more significant in the sense that it left a new mark on my life.

Q: Please tell us about the theme, motif, idea, etc. of this work.
A: Actually, I had no idea what to do. I created the layout based on the materials I had on hand, especially the stones. I think I was quite lucky that I was able to successfully create an aquascape expression in this piece that is peaceful to look at.

Q: Please tell us about difficulties you encountered in creating and maintaining the work.
A: The most difficult part was finding materials and creating a perfect cave. I recreated the cave over and over again until I was satisfied with the result. In particular, I did not use any glue to attach the stones to each other or to attach the moss to the stones, but planted it naturally. The moss was allowed to grow for 15 days prior to planting. Since the plants do not require much care, it was not too difficult to maintain the layout.

Q: What is it about planted aquariums that appeal to you?
A: Ten years ago, when I was a member of the Guppy & Betta Club in college, I happened to see a friend’s aquarium. I was fascinated by the greenery and environment of the aquarium with moss and shrimp. After that, I started researching aquariums and building my own, and one day a friend of mine suggested I enter a contest. IAPLC is full of attractions to improve my skills, to know where I stand, to gain a lot of knowledge, and to build friendships.

Author Trung Thanh Phan ／ VietNam