Tam Ky Sketch - preserving the soul of the city through every stroke

Artist creates at the heritage tree row of Huong Tra village. Photo: HO QUAN

The artistic journey of the Hanoi Urban Sketch Group not only brings works of art, but also contributes to reviving the cultural and historical depth of the land of three rivers.

City through paintings

In mid-April, Huong Tra village (Hoa Huong ward) welcomed more than 20 members of the Hanoi Urban Sketching Group - including architects, painters, teachers, and art lovers from many localities across the country. They silently recorded the daily life of Tam Ky city with rustic, emotional drawings.

Architect and artist Tran Thi Thanh Thuy - Head of the Hanoi Urban Sketching Group shared: “This is the second time we have returned to Tam Ky, after the journey to Tam Thanh fishing village in June 2024. Each place has a different feeling. If Tam Thanh is the openness and freshness of a coastal village, Huong Tra has a quiet, ancient look with old su trees and an old communal house roof. Our group has completed nearly 50 works in just a few days.”

The Confucius Temple in Tam Ky through the sketches of a group of artists. Photo: Hanoi Urban Sketch Group

This creative journey also extends to the Confucian Temple, Ky Anh tunnel, old craft villages and peaceful alleys. Without elaborate techniques or ostentatious visual effects, the works choose to quietly record everyday images: people mending nets, carrying water, moss-covered roofs under the shade of sưa trees, or an old door frame on a street corner.

Young artist Nguyen Hai Quan expressed: “I was really surprised to see that Tam Ky has so many quiet, rustic spaces. Each scene, seemingly very ordinary, has a strong evocative power. The interesting thing is that we don’t need to create a scene – everything is already beautiful in its own way. What we do is just keep that emotion in the painting.”

A corner of Hoa Huong market through the sketch of artist Van Viet Nam. Photo: Hanoi Urban Sketch Group

Previously, in June 2024, the group had made a series of sketches of Tam Thanh fishing village. From the fishing wharf, the village market, the old houses to the scenes of fishermen drying nets and pulling boats, every detail was vividly reflected through the personal perspective of each artist.

Combining art with community tourism

The Hanoi Urban Sketchers Group is a non-profit painting collective established in 2016, part of the global Urban Sketchers network. The group brings together more than 11,000 members of different ages and professions and has been present in many localities such as Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Mu Cang Chai... with the goal of recording cultural and historical heritage through the language of painting.

“Each sketch is not only an artistic activity, but also an opportunity to connect with the local community. In Tam Ky, we receive great support from the government and the friendliness and openness of the people. The completed paintings not only record the landscape, but also help create an emotional connection between the artist and the land they set foot on,” said artist Tran Thi Thanh Thuy.

From the artistic and community effects of the two journeys in Tam Thanh and Huong Tra, Tam Ky City began to implement many new directions to exploit the cultural value of sketching art.

According to Mr. Nguyen Minh Nam - Permanent Vice Chairman of Tam Ky City People's Committee, the city is digitizing all sketches, including them in the design of tourism products such as notebooks, cloth bags, T-shirts, stamps, OCOP product packaging and even display spaces at public places.

“We see this as a long-term direction. Each painting is a cultural message. When printed on tourist items, they are not only gifts but also a way to tell stories about Tam Ky. We want visitors to remember the city not only with maps or leaflets, but with an emotional painting,” said Mr. Nam.

The city is also researching the construction of a “Huong Tra village memory road”, combining heritage space with outdoor sketch exhibitions. At the same time, the works will be exhibited in rotation at museums, cultural centers, walking spaces and key tourist destinations.

“We do not organize art to polish the image but want to turn sketching into a part of the sustainable urban development strategy. Through each stroke, people will see their hometown more beautiful. Tourists come and go, but if they bring a picture - that is, bring their memories, Tam Ky will stay with them. That is how art becomes the soul of the city,” Mr. Nam affirmed.