Hang Trong folk painting exhibition revives traditional art form

Replicas of famous traditional Hang Trong folk paintings – a genre of traditional Vietnamese woodcuts by Hanoi artisans – are on display at an exhibition taking place right in its birthplace in Hang Trong ward in Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi.

Being held within Nam Huong Temple, where local residents conduct ceremonies associated with Hang Trong worshipping paintings, the exhibition aims to promote the value and identity of this genre of folk painting.

According to chairman of the People's Committee of Hang Trong ward Dang Minh Tuan, for a long time, the Hang Trong folk painting genre was left to oblivion.

However, in recent years, the ward, together with the Hoan Kiem district and the city, have conducted several program and projects to restore and promote the value and identity of the painting.

“The current exhibition showcases 10 paintings created by artisan using the hoa kim sa painting technique,” Tuan said.

Researched by Nguyen Hoang Anh, a young woman who graduated from the graphic design department of the University of Industrial Fine Arts in Hanoi, hoa kim sa is a painting technique inspired by the enamel painting, using milky ground quartz sand to color the paintings.

According to Anh, this painting technique originates from Europe and Egypt, so when starting to learn about this art, she and her team faced difficulties due to the language barrier. “After four years of researching and experimentation, we basically have perfected the process of creating a painting using the hoa kim sa technique,” she said.

Completing a painting requires many stages, from sketching to using silky copper wire to create every single drawn line. Finally, milky ground quartz sand will be used to color the painting, creating the sparkling effect for the art piece.

One of Hang Trong’s most popular paintings, Ngu Ho (The Five Tigers), has been presented in the exhibition.

The artists have spent more than 300 hours to complete the 75 cm by 86 cm painting, which expresses the majesty, dignity and vividness of the tigers with brilliant colors.

Contemplating the painting, a visitor said: "It is very beautiful and true to the ancient original version. I am happy to know that more and more young people have shown their special interest in traditional art and wanted to preserve these unique cultural values.”

Genuine handicraft products, Hang Trong paintings have a long history of more than 500 years, linked to the rituals of ancestor worship.

The paintings first flourished with the development of Buddhism. Since then, people have realized that the paintings symbolize happiness and prosperity, and hang them during Lunar New Year holiday (Tet).

The paintings’ subjects are diverse, ranging from history, worship, decoration and social activities. Hang Trong paintings have vivid colors of yellow, blue, green, orange and lotus pink.