Journey to connect Vietnamese heritage

Not waiting to be “preserved”, many young people are choosing to find, recreate and retell the story of their national culture in the creative language of their generation. We can mention 3 young artists with the journey of reviving the butterfly parasol, a historical vestige of the Vietnamese people that has been absent for more than a century.

From old drawings to new icons

Parasols - in the traditional cultural consciousness of the ancient Vietnamese people, are not only a means of protection from the sun and rain, but also a symbol of rank, faith and dignity. Among hundreds of royal and folk parasols, the butterfly parasol is a unique creation: made from broken bamboo strips into the shape of butterfly wings - a symbol of rebirth, luck and fortune. With 8 small wings surrounding a large wing (cuu diep) and a custard apple at the tip, the butterfly parasol conveys wishes for longevity, reunion and fertility.

However, over time, the craft of making parasols gradually disappeared. For more than a century, the image of butterfly parasols only remained in memories or a few illustrated pages in the book Techniques of the Annamese people by French artist Henri Oger in 1908-1909. And then, after more than 100 years, three young artists Khoa Phung, Nghieu Thien and Lam Oi, all former students of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts, decided to "revive" this seemingly lost symbol. Khoa Phung shared: "The biggest difficulty was finding sources of materials. There were almost no documents on butterfly parasols, only a few blurry photos and hand-drawn pictures in the book Techniques of the Annamese people. Even finding raw materials was very difficult, most of them had to be hand-made."

From the old drawings, Khoa Phung painstakingly researched and tested every detail from the frame, curvature, paint layer, to the way the parasol spread. When the first prototype was completed, Lam Oi and Nghieu Thien continued to bring in a contemporary breath, Lam Oi used traditional lacquer to tell a new story, and Nghieu Thien - a silk specialist, created soft light and color effects. Although not learning from artisans, the group of young artists was still fortunate to receive support from the community of Vietnamese culture lovers on the Dai Viet Co Phong fanpage. In particular, precious images from the collection of French photographer Edgard Imbert ( Hanoi 1905-1906) or photos of butterfly parasols taken at the French museum became important historical sources to help them recreate artifacts more accurately.

Telling ancient culture in modern language

From the prototype, the trio continued to develop new forms such as Bat Umbrella, Goldfish Umbrella, Crab Umbrella, Bug Umbrella… variations that both have a modern feel and retain the ancient spirit. Each work is a dialogue between tradition and the present, between memories and personal emotions. “For us, traditional culture is not only something to preserve, but also a source of inspiration for creativity. In the era of globalization, returning to our traditional roots helps us not to be absorbed into the world , still having our own uniqueness to confidently tell the Vietnamese story in our own way,” Nghieu Thien shared.

Visitors enjoy two modern butterfly parasol models at the exhibition "Thousands of shapes" at Toong space (126 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Xuan Hoa ward, HCMC)

The journey of three young artists is being introduced to the public in the exhibition "Thousands of Shapes" at Toong Shared Workspace (No. 126, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Xuan Hoa Ward, HCMC). The exhibition is where young people tell the story of Vietnamese culture in a new artistic language: open, diverse and full of emotions. At the same time, it opens up a bigger question: what can young people today do with heritage? And how can culture not only be preserved in museums, but also "live" in modern life? "Tradition only truly lives when it is inherited and developed through each generation. We young people are not only recipients but also creators, turning old values ​​into a part of the present," Lam Oi expressed.

The journey of "reviving the butterfly parasol" has become a testament that the heritage, like the butterflies in the old parasol, is always waiting to be opened, to fly up in the light of contemporary life.

HONG DUONG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/hanh-trinh-noi-mach-di-san-viet-post823548.html