Unique coconut paper paintings from chopped down coconut trees in Da Nang

Discover the unique art of coconut paper paintings from discarded coconut trees in Da Nang. Artist Le Thanh Ha transforms waste materials into works of art, helping to reduce environmental waste and provide livelihoods for local people.

Artist Le Thanh Ha creates unique paintings from coconut paper - Photo: PHAN NGUYEN

At the foot of Son Tra peninsula (Da Nang), the small workshop of artist Le Thanh Ha (47 years old) is where coconut trees are transformed into unique coconut paper paintings.

Unique coconut paper paintings from rich raw materials

Mr. Ha is one of the pioneers in creating coconut paper art paintings and is the first person to use coconut fiber.

Graduated from the University of Arts (Hue University) in 2002, in 2015, Mr. Ha and his friends researched making coconut paper paintings from water coconut trees in Hoi An.

During his trips along the coastal road from Hoi An to Da Nang, Mr. Ha saw coconut trees planted along the coast being cut down during the stormy season. He suddenly thought that water coconuts could be used to make paintings, so it was possible to make paintings from coconut trees grown on land.

"Making from local coconuts will provide an endless source of raw materials as coconut leaves are continuously cut during storm season. On the other hand, it helps solve the source of waste released into the environment," said Mr. Ha, adding that he started experimenting with local coconuts at the end of 2018.

Mr. Ha said that after collecting the coconuts, all the leaves are removed. The stems are cut into pieces, the green skin is removed, and the inside is cooked with lime for 24 hours.

After going through the steps of coarse grinding and then fine grinding, the coconut powder is fermented for about half a month to get its natural ivory color. During this process, the fermentation water needs to be continuously changed.

"In the early days when there were few customers, I let the coconut flour ferment for a long time without using it. Thanks to that, I discovered that the long fermentation process helps the coconut flour ferment and whiten naturally without using chemicals, avoiding harmful effects on the environment," Mr. Ha recalled.

After fermentation, the standard coconut powder is spread flat on a silk frame. Mr. Ha draws the patterns in the picture by hand, then redraws them on the machine and prints decals to stick on the mold to create a complete printing mold.

Next, he uses a water jet with strong pressure to act as a carving knife, creating thick and thin layers like reliefs on the wet paper surface.

Pick up the coconut powder and apply it in thick and thin layers like a relief on wet paper - Photo: PHAN NGUYEN

Artist makes unique coconut paper paintings combining many paper making methods

Mr. Ha added that in the process of completing the coconut paper painting line, he spent days traveling to Hoa Binh province, meeting the H'Mong ethnic people to learn about their traditional giang paper making techniques. Along with that, he diligently researched the Japanese Washi paper art to combine and create unique characteristics for his coconut paper painting line.

In particular, Mr. Ha said he is not afraid to "pass on the profession" to anyone who is passionate about coconut paper painting art. Currently, his students have developed this type of painting in Ben Tre.

A coconut paper painting takes about 7 - 10 days to complete, and costs from several million VND - Photo: PHAN NGUYEN

Most of Mr. Ha's paintings are about Buddhism because he is imbued with the view that the coconut tree is a compassionate and generous tree that produces delicious rice and sweet fruit - Photo: TH

Many portraits of famous people were created by Mr. Ha - Photo: TH

Coconut paper painting of the red-shanked douc langur, the primate queen of Son Tra peninsula - Photo: TH

Coconut paper paintings on display attract locals and tourists - Photo: TH

The process of using a knife to trim excess details to create a complete shape - Photo: PHAN NGUYEN

Coconut paper painting of horses returning successfully - Photo: TH

Foreign tourists love to learn about the unique coconut paper painting genre - Photo: TH

Making coconut paper paintings also provides an additional livelihood for some fishermen along the Tho Quang coast (Son Tra, Da Nang). During the stormy season when they cannot go to sea, they do the work of removing leaves, peeling and cooking coconut stems for Mr. Ha. From there, people also learn about the craft of making coconut paper materials - Photo: TH

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tranh-giay-dua-doc-dao-tu-tau-dua-bi-chat-bo-o-da-nang-20250312150258279.htm