Nguyen Dang Che and Nguyen Huu Sam from the northern province of
Bac Ninh are two of the few remaining artisans specialising in Dong Ho
folk painting – a centuries-old tradition deeply engrained in the mind
of the Vietnamese people.
Che and his family have
invested more than 3 billion VND (141,690 USD) in building a centre to
restore and preserve this art form on an area of over 5,000 square
metres.
Dong Ho folk painting is an art form that
uses woodcut prints and originates in Dong Ho village in Bac Ninh
province. The prints depict the daily activities and religious practices
of farmers in the Red River Delta.
Popular works
carry the names “Playing the flute”, “Farmer and Water Buffalo”,
“Catching coconuts”, “Jealousy” and “Mice Wedding”, and reflect the
artists’ and local inhabitants’ aspirations for happy, peaceful and
prosperous lives.
Traditionally, craftsmen used raw
materials from nature, making sheets of paper from the bark of the “do”
(poonah) tree and mixing colours using soil, burnt bamboo leaves and sea
shells.
It is important to promote the brand “Dong
Ho” and increase the villagers’ involvement in preserving the art form
to ensure the paintings gain popularity, both at home and abroad, Che
said.
Che and Sam have also engaged in a 60 billion
VND (2.86 million USD) project to preserve and uphold the cultural
heritage value of this art form, recently improved by the provincial
People’s Committee. The project will run from 2014 to 2016, with a
vision for 2030.
Meanwhile, the provincial People’s
Committee of Bac Ninh has approved a project worth close to VND 60
billion (USD 2.86 million ) to preserve and uphold the cultural heritage
value of this art form. The project will run from 2014 to 2016, with a
vision for 2030.
Authorities have earmarked funds to
apply for UNESCO recognition of the art form as an intangible cultural
heritage in need of urgent protection. UNESCO requirements are expected
to be met by 2016, at a cost of 7.8 billion VND (371,400 USD).
In the future, regular photo exhibitions will be held, bringing Dong
Ho paintings closer to visitors to the province, Chairman of the
People’s Committee Nguyen Nhu Dieu said.-VNA