The boy went looking for the image of the shadow.

Born in Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh province, young artist Bui Van Tu once astonished and impressed the professional community with his rare talent: "sculpting light".

Following Bui Van Tu as he explores the "Journey of Time-Traveling Diaries" exhibition at the Prehistoric Footprint Film Studio (Ninh Binh city), we were able to see and hear firsthand about the unique art style that this young man is pursuing.

This space houses a collection of nearly 100 light sculptures created by Bui Van Tu himself, telling the story of the stages of human development, from the discovery of fire to the agricultural era and then to the era of the scientific and technological revolution.

Throughout the "Journey Through Time and Space," visitors are amazed by the magical and unique "transformations" of seemingly inanimate objects. Sometimes they appear as dinosaurs, mammoths, or a family of apes; other times as a mother embracing her child, or scenes of the primordial dawn.

In addition, the museum also displays portraits of many national heroes such as King Dinh Tien Hoang, President Ho Chi Minh, and many famous scientists, painters, and musicians from around the world such as Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla, Leonardo da Vinci, Beethoven, etc.

A portrait of the genius Leonardo da Vinci under the sculptural light of artist Bui Van Tu.

What makes these works special is that, using materials that at first glance seem like waste such as broken pottery shards, driftwood, electrical wires, tin cans, old sandals, soda cans, etc., arranged haphazardly, but with skillful hands, creative mind, and the support of light, young artist Bui Van Tu has created unique and impressive shadows.

Mr. Bui Van Tu said: "Light sculpture is an art form that combines sculpture and light, creating unique images from the shadows of objects. The mission of this art form is to tell stories about culture and life through shadows. Shadows are inherently inanimate, but light sculpture transforms them into stories, fragments of souls based on individual emotions."

Recounting his journey into this art form, the young artist, born in 1992, said: "While building a miniature landscape, when I shone a light on the wall, I accidentally saw its shadow resembled the shape of a bear. At that moment, I suddenly thought, why not sculpt light according to my own ideas and shapes? The journey to find the 'shape' of these 'shadows' officially began from there…"

However, people usually only sculpt on materials like ceramics, wood, and metal, while light sculpture had never appeared in Vietnam before. The initial stages of realizing the idea were not easy, especially since Bui Van Tu was only a third-year student lacking knowledge and without mentors to guide and inspire him.

In 2022, after a decade of pursuit, young artist Bui Van Tu first presented his exhibition "The Light of Knowledge" to the public. His works were highly praised by experts and art lovers for their creativity, uniqueness, and fresh approach. Since then, he has continuously produced many outstanding works.

The artwork depicting Eagle Peak (part of the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex) is part of a new project by a young artist born in the 1990s.

Professor Truong Quoc Binh, former Director of the Vietnam Museum, commented: Light sculpture is a new art form that requires many elements such as talent, aesthetics, painting, architecture, fine arts, etc. Bui Van Tu is one of the pioneers in opening and developing this art form in Vietnam. His works not only ensure tight composition and lighting but also convey very meaningful and humane stories and messages.

Throughout a decade of pursuing this new art form, the artist, born in the 1990s, has worked in various fields such as construction engineering and creative director in the handicraft industry. Besides his exhibition at the Prehistoric Footprints Film Studio, he also has many works on display at the Center for the Quintessence of Vietnamese Traditional Crafts (Hanoi).

Sharing his plans for the future, Bui Van Tu said he is finalizing the project "The History of Trang An - From the First Fire to World Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites," aiming to provide visitors with an experiential space and a comprehensive overview of human development from prehistoric times to the present day, along with the relics, scenic spots, and landmarks of Trang An, and the connections between these sites throughout history, in order to contribute to the construction and development of the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex. The project includes three main sections: The People of Trang An in Prehistoric Times; The Agricultural Revolution in Trang An; and Trang An Today: Preservation and Development.

With his new project, young artist Bui Van Tu hopes to contribute to creating more attractive destinations for tourists, thereby contributing to the sustainable preservation and conservation of heritage.

Minh Hai-Anh Tuan

Source: https://baoninhbinh.org.vn/chang-trai-di-tim-hinh-cua-bong-/d20240509165312472.htm