Pick up the "blessings" of the sea from upstream

Collecting firewood from An Bang beach. Photo: VINH LOC

In recent days, Mr. Le Ngoc Thuan, owner of Lang Cui Lu (Dong Na residential group, Hoi An Tay ward) - a place displaying thousands of unique recycled wood carvings, has mobilized people to go to the beach, collect driftwood from the sea, and bring it back to pile in front of his workshop.

From here, the firewood will be revived through the talented hands of the carpenters of Kim Bong village and the creative ideas of Mr. Le Ngoc Thuan to become unique works of art. Mr. Thuan has been doing this work for many years now after each storm and flood.

Mr. Le Ngoc Thuan said that the idea of recycling art from firewood had been in his mind for many years but he had not been able to realize it. The Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, all activities were suspended, which was also a precious time for his ideas to take shape.

At first, Mr. Thuan went to the sea to collect small pieces of firewood washed up by the waves, to make them into simple products such as tables and chairs, chopstick holders, ashtrays, or bowls and plates for food... Gradually, the collection grew with sophisticated and unique light boxes, vases, animals...

In March 2023, Mr. Le Ngoc Thuan opened the Firewood Village in Dong Na residential group, Hoi An Tay ward, becoming a space to perform and display hundreds of unique recycled wood sculptures. This place welcomes many tourists to visit and shop every day.

Mr. Le Ngoc Thuan collected a lot of firewood from the flood that drifted out to sea and piled it up at the workshop. Photo: VINH LOC

Mr. Le Ngoc Thuan believes that the value of a fine wood art work does not lie in the wood material, but in the story told on that piece of wood.

Many products of artisan Le Ngoc Thuan are ordered by tourists at prices of tens of millions, even hundreds of millions of dong. Thereby, helping to create livelihoods and income for many Kim Bong carpenters; especially, contributing to conveying the message of regenerative art and sustainable development to the community and tourists everywhere.