【clb nottingham】Truc chi and the journey of spreading

Viewers enjoy interacting with the works at the exhibition. Photo: Truc Chi Garden

Maturity of applied arts

Titled “Tham”, the Truc Chi art exhibition is taking place at the Cultural and Arts Center - 22 Hang Buom, Hanoi City, from November 19th to December 3rd.

Truc Chi Art Vietnam organizes the exhibition in collaboration with the Management Board of Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Old Quarter to respond to the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2023.

This event is part of a series of exhibitions celebrating the 10-year journey of Truc ChiVietnam Art establishment and is also an opportunity for Truc Chito introduce its talented artists and set a milestone for the next 10-year journey with joint research and development, making Truc Chia new cultural value of Vietnam.

The exhibition introduces to the public 79 works, divided into 18 themes displayed according to spaces. The “Truc Chi’s Journey” space shares the achievements in each stage of Truc Chi’s operations with viewers. The “Truc ChiArt” space introduces the works of 9 Truc Chiartists from many periods. The “Applied Arts” space displays and installs applied works of Truc Chigraphic techniques and unique applied artworks. The “Tea Meditation” space is a place for art lovers to enjoy tea, admire paintings, and share thoughts and feelings about Truc Chi.

A space rich in art and Vietnamese cultural values is what many people feel when visiting the Truc Chiexhibition. Viewers can see large, highly artistic, meticulously crafted paintings, or artworks close to life, such as fans, conical hats, table lamps, and even small souvenirs, such as postcards...

It can be said that the exhibition demonstrates the maturity of applied art and identity ofTruc Chithrough the ability of expression, scope of creativity and adaptation to contemporary life that Truc Chi has achieved during its journey in the past 10 years.

“The special thing that makes Truc Chiworks stand out is the vividness and visual stimulation of the viewer. Unlike traditional paintings, Truc Chiart uses light techniques - technology to make images appear with vibrant, intimate colors, bringing an interesting experience to viewers”, introduced artist Phan Hai Bang.

Installation space for Truc Chi’s work. Photo: Truc Chi Garden

This space also brings the public to a special feeling when combining the tranquility of tea meditation and art. The uniqueness and novelty of the concept, materials, and method of expression appeal to the viewer’s eyes at first sight.

“A wonderful experience! It is a feast for not only the eyes but also all the senses when the art of Truc Chipainting becomes a bridge for the vibrations of people's hearts to countless experiences crystallized into works! Stories, emotions, and thoughts about humanity, life, and history are told in a surprising, captivating way that makes it impossible to take your eyes off,” shared a guest when visiting the Truc Chiexhibition space.

Spreading Vietnamese values

Truc Chiwas born to honor the value of gratitude and humanity in a creative way through a bold Vietnamese artistic language. Truc Chiartworks are crafted entirely by hand according to the principle of “Aesthetics - Education – Society”. This new art originated from traditional methods, then created the Truc Chigraphic technique from the main concept: “Giving paper an additional ability, escaping its status as a “background” to become into a self-contained, independent work.”

Truc Chi“made its will” from the saying of Emperor Khai Dinh: “The characteristics of a nation are expressed through artistic products. It is a mirror reflecting that nation's social life, political rituals, and spiritual image...” The entire spirit of Truc Chiart is encapsulated in the symbol of a “yoke”, a traditional tool popular in people’s life that represents the internal strength and flexibility of maternal energy through its durable properties of fiber materials.

Enjoying tea and admiring paintings in the Truc Chi exhibition space in Hanoi. Photo: Truc Chi Garden

After a 10-year journey of construction and development, Truc Chihas appeared as a new cultural and artistic value of Hue, built on the foundation of traditional paper craft, combining and adapting with many types of new materials, techniques, and ideas to create a new type of art and a new cultural value, contributing to Vietnam’s cultural patrimony. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Nghia Phuong, Vice Rector of Vietnam University of Fine Arts, affirmed: “Truc Chihas become a phenomenon that has been built, cultivated, and spread methodically thanks to many different community sectors. The values that Truc Chiaims for include aesthetics - education - society. They are intertwined, complement each other, and are all community-oriented.”

Truc Chiis well known in the South but is still not fully known in the North. On the occasion of the Creative Design Festival 2023, the organizers want to introduce a panoramic view of Truc Chito art lovers in Hanoi. Following previous exhibitions at 22 Hang Buom, this Truc Chiexhibition is an extension of the dialogue between art and heritage in the heart of the Capital. Therefore, each installation in the exhibition has a dialogue with heritage and cultural space and is also an opportunity to enhance the value of art, architecture, and heritage.

Exhibitions, discussions, and workshops... are opportunities for the public to learn more about this Vietnam’s unique art form. Ms. Tran Thi Thuy Lan, Deputy Manager of Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Old Quarter, shared: “The exhibition is an opportunity to listen to the story of the journey of developing Truc Chipainting, to better understand a new art, a new Vietnamese value, the operating principles of which are consistent with the spirit of the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2023. ‘Tham’ is also the first exhibition at the Cultural and Arts Center - 22 Hang Buom in 2023, hoping to bring to the public a sense of Truc Chi’s creative sources while creating a unique art space in the Capital.”