Folk paintings displayed in Hai Phong
Nearly 60 traditional folk paintings of different genres such as Dong Ho and Hang Trong, and those of Tay and Cao Lan ethnic minority groups are on display at an exhibition in the northern port city of Hai Phong.
The event, from January 20 to the end of April, is jointly held by the Hai Phong Museum and the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum.
Those paintings feature daily activities and religious life of Vietnamese, reflecting their wish for peace, prosperity and happiness, said Tran Thi Huong, Deputy Director of the national museum.
With diverse subjects found in everyday life, they have contributed to preserving and upholding national traditions, she added.
Nguyen Van Phuong, Director of the Hai Phong Museum, said the paintings have not only mirrored the spiritual life of Vietnamese, but also have educational and moral values.
Visitors to the exhibition will have a chance to learn how to make Dong Ho paintings in the northern province of Bac Ninh which date back to about the 16th – 17th centuries and developed until the first half of the 20th century.
A special feature of this woodblock printing art is that all materials are natural and found locally. Black colour, for example, is taken from burned bamboo or straw, while white colour comes from ground shells of scallops.
The visual language used is simple and easy to understand and so tends to leave an everlasting impression on viewers.
Meanwhile, Hang Trong, another genre in Hanoi, was first known as worship paintings. Later, its topics expanded to cover social activities like markets or dragon dance or famous stories like the Tale of Kieu and the classical drama of Son Hau.