Booth introducing Dong Ho paintings at the event "Quintessence of Bac Ninh culture - Colors of Dong Ho".
The simple woodblock prints, stained with time, under the talented hands of Dong Ho village artisans have created "bright national colors on die-cut paper", forming a unique and distinctive cultural heritage - Dong Ho folk paintings.
With a completely manual process, using natural materials such as Do paper, red from red pebbles, black from coal ash, blue from indigo leaves, etc., Dong Ho paintings are considered not only works of art but also a “manifesto” about the Vietnamese people’s lifestyle in harmony with nature. In 2013, the craft of making Dong Ho folk paintings was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
According to Meritorious Artisan Nguyen Thi Oanh, each Dong Ho painting is a simple but profound story, reflecting the beauty of life, festivals, beliefs and aspirations for good fortune, prosperity, abundance and peace , so it is often chosen by people to hang during the Lunar New Year. During its heyday before 1944, in Dong Ho there were 17 clans participating in painting production. Currently, there are only three clans that maintain their ancestors' profession with about 30 people directly involved in painting making.
Over the past years, Bac Ninh province has had many practical action programs to preserve, maintain and promote this unique traditional folk art form. The province focuses on training the next generation of young artisans, encouraging and supporting artisans to innovate their paintings, and at the same time promoting the image.
From 2023, the province inaugurated and put into operation the Dong Ho Folk Painting Conservation Center; organized free tours to help visitors have in-depth experiences with the Dong Ho painting space. In many receptions of domestic guests and international diplomatic delegations, Dong Ho paintings were honored to be chosen as national gifts. At domestic and international exhibitions and cultural events, along with Quan Ho folk songs, the experience of making Dong Ho paintings is always a highlight connecting visitors and international friends with this unique folk art form of Vietnam.
Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Xuan Loi said that the craft of making Dong Ho paintings is facing many challenges, including the risk of extinction. Therefore, Bac Ninh province has promptly implemented many activities and made efforts to preserve and promote the heritage in order to bring Dong Ho paintings closer to domestic and foreign audiences.
The province has actively coordinated with relevant units to promote the craft of making Dong Ho folk paintings in many countries around the world such as France, Japan, Korea, Australia, the United States, etc. and received positive feedback from the public. Together with specialized units of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Bac Ninh has completed the report forms and prepared a dossier to submit to UNESCO for consideration of recognizing the craft of making Dong Ho folk paintings as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity in need of urgent protection.
Present at the event “The Quintessence of Bac Ninh Culture - Dong Ho Colors”, Mr. Saadi Salama, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Palestine to Vietnam, Head of the Diplomatic Corps in Vietnam shared: I highly appreciate the efforts of Bac Ninh province in protecting, preserving and developing culture. Bac Ninh is a dynamic locality, especially in promoting relations with diplomatic agencies and promoting the image and unique cultural values of Bac Ninh, including Dong Ho paintings, to international tourists.
Dong Ho paintings are a proud cultural feature that needs to be preserved and I strongly support Dong Ho paintings, an intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam, to be considered by UNESCO for inclusion in the list of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent protection of humanity in 2025.
Not only preserving a unique art form, the preservation and promotion of Dong Ho paintings also contributes to connecting heritage with domestic and foreign audiences, helping future generations understand, love and bring the traditional values of the nation to fly high and far.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/ket-noi-di-san-tranh-dan-gian-dong-ho-voi-the-gioi-post893954.html
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