When folk paintings are given a new look

"Elevating" folk paintings

Following the success of the program "Spreading the cultural identity of traditional Tet" on the occasion of the Year of the Dragon, in April and May 2024, Latoa Indochine will continuously deploy a series of exhibitions "Colorful Paintings - Folk" at many cultural spaces in the capital Hanoi.

Here, in addition to displaying artworks, Latoa also organizes an experience of coloring folk paintings on environmentally friendly paper. The public attending the event was shared by Latoa Indochine artists about the cultural value and meaning of each folk painting, and was directly guided through the coloring process on famous folk paintings such as Hang Trong paintings, Dong Ho paintings, Kim Hoang paintings or Sinh village paintings...

Head of the Central Propaganda Department Nguyen Trong Nghia and Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung visited the exhibition space "Colorful Painting - Folk" at the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam on the evening of April 17, 2024. Photo: Latoa Indochine

“We hope that through this event, each participant can not only enjoy the joy of creation but also gain a better understanding of folk paintings. Artisans, collectors and art lovers have the opportunity to connect, exchange and share experiences in preserving and developing folk cultural heritage,” said Ms. Dieu Linh, a member of Latoa Indochine.

According to Latoa Indochine Chairman Pham Ngoc Long, the program "Color Painting - Folk" is a series of activities of the group, associated with the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values. The Latoa Indochine group was established in June 2022, bringing together artists with the same passion and enthusiasm for traditional lacquer and folk culture. Concerned with the preservation of folk paintings, they agreed that, when facing the risk of fading away, these paintings need to be more present in life, in every home.

However, Vietnamese folk paintings all have common limitations, which are printed on Do paper, cheap, not durable and usually only sold during Tet or for religious ceremonies, used once and then discarded. Moreover, the need to decorate living spaces is different now, not many people use paper paintings on the wall anymore. If we want folk paintings to be preserved and to live in a modern environment, we must overcome the above disadvantages, must make the paintings more beautiful, more valuable, more durable... From such analysis, the members of the group have researched and experimented with paintings on new materials and lacquer is the first name that comes to mind.

But lacquer is a fickle material, difficult to define, while one factor that makes folk paintings different is focusing to shape. During the research process, the group's artists discovered how to define the paintings using the engraving technique.

The public experiences painting folk paintings at an event by Latoa Indochine

“When using lacquer, we have to use lacquer to create lines but it cannot be as delicate as our ancestors. Our ancestors have created and summarized the techniques of making talented paintings, so why don’t we take advantage of them by combining the strengths of those painting styles? We combine these two techniques, creating a truly interesting and surprising effect. Each painting is a unique experience, each time we paint is a time to explore and exploit the material with different emotions and techniques” - artist Luong Minh Hoa shared.

However, according to Mr. Pham Ngoc Long, lacquer material also has limitations in that the color is quite “flat”, the color gamut is often deep and dark. To overcome this, the group’s artists often use a lot of gold and silver to make the paintings brighter and the shapes more prominent. In particular, the paintings have depth and bring a very different color transition effect when light shines on them. And in the final stage, finishing the paintings, the artists often “exude” directly with their bare hands.

“After many years of research and practice, we have completely mastered the technique of lacquer carving. This is a new creation based on traditional techniques while still preserving the spirit and soul of folk paintings. Lacquer carving does not lose the connection from old materials to new materials, making folk paintings richer and more splendid,” said Mr. Long.

Spreading Vietnamese values

According to many experts, the shift from drawing and printing on Do paper to engraved lacquer has opened up a new direction in preserving and promoting the value of folk paintings. The familiar themes and subjects of folk paintings are still used, but with new techniques, artists have "put on a new coat" for folk paintings. Modern, luxurious, more durable lacquer paintings are highly adaptable to different types of architectural spaces without losing the soul of traditional Vietnamese aesthetics.

Foreign tourists are excited about the experience of painting folk paintings.

Using the engraving method, Latoa Indochine artists have created dozens of "once-famous" folk paintings. There are massive, elaborate works such as the nearly 5-meter-long adaptation of "Truc Lam Dai Si Xuat Son Do", painted in the long scroll style, including 82 characters, each with a different demeanor and appearance. There are also colorful folk paintings such as: Than Ke, Ngu Ho, Vinh Hoa, Phu Quy; Danh Nhan. The artists have taken the audience on a journey from the past to the present, from old to new, from tradition to modernity, full of emotions and surprises.

According to Professor Dr. Truong Quoc Binh - Member of the National Cultural Heritage Council, Latoa Indochine's lacquer folk paintings are a very valuable initiative, which could not have been realized without a passion for ancient capital.

"This is a very remarkable cultural transformation that both promotes the value of traditional lacquer and engraving art and the quintessence of traditional Vietnamese folk paintings" - Professor, Dr. Truong Quoc Binh commented.

Also highly appreciating the new way of making paintings of the Latoa group, researcher and artist Phan Ngoc Khue said that this is truly a meaningful project to preserve and promote folk paintings.

“Uncle Khue is a man who has devoted his whole life to preserving folk paintings. When my brothers and I discovered how to make paintings, he once spent a whole day in the workshop with us. During dinner, he said something that my brothers and I will always remember: “If you can do this, I can die now,” Mr. Long excitedly recounted.

Exhibition viewers use light to "illuminate" a carved lacquer painting by Latoa Indochine at an exhibition in Guangzhou (China)

After the event marking the technical completion with the exhibition named “The Road” at the end of 2022, over the past year, Latoa Indochine has brought Vietnamese folk paintings to dozens of domestic and international art events. Among them are: Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2022, Hue Festival 2023; participating in Vietnam Day in Japan, Vietnam Day in France 2023 and many exhibitions in Korea, China, South Africa, Thailand...

According to Mr. Pham Ngoc Long, the good news is that not only in Vietnam but also in all the places where Latoa Indochine brought Vietnamese folk paintings, there were "incredibly crowded". The public received traditional values ​​very enthusiastically, especially the young people - that is what surprised the group members very much.

“We named the group “Latoa” with the meaning of spreading, of how to bring Vietnamese cultural values ​​to many audiences. Latoa’s lacquer paintings are not simply works of art but also a bridge between the past and the present, between traditional art and modern art. Our wish is that Vietnamese folk paintings will spread strongly and inspire all art lovers, those who love the beauty of culture and traditional art of the Vietnamese people,” Mr. Long affirmed.

Khanh Ngoc

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/khi-tranh-dan-gian-duoc-khoac-ao-moi-post296519.html