Unusual professions: Breathing life into ornamental animals.

To date, Mr. Nguyen Van Cong (artisan Nam Cong, 77 years old, residing in Hung Khanh Trung B commune, Cho Lach district, Ben Tre province ) has spent nearly 50 years creating animal-shaped bonsai trees from Ficus microcarpa and Ficus benghalensis. His works are exported to many countries around the world.

Famous for the Golden Buffalo at the 22nd SEA Games.

In 2003, surpassing many artisans specializing in ornamental animal sculptures nationwide, Mr. Nguyen Van Cong was selected to create 40 ceremonial buffaloes, also known as "golden buffaloes" - the mascot of the 22nd SEA Games (the first Southeast Asian Games held in Vietnam).

"I was chosen to make the ceremonial buffaloes for the 22nd SEA Games less than a month before the event. However, at that time, as now, my garden always had enough raw materials to make 40 buffaloes to be placed at various competition locations during the 22nd SEA Games in Ho Chi Minh City. That wasn't a significant milestone in my animal sculpture skills, but the success at that event was the greatest success in my career because I was able to serve many people and my country," shared artisan Nam Cong.

Dinosaur sculptures in artisan Nam Cong's garden are being prepared for delivery to customers. PHOTO: BAC BINH

In the art of shaping bonsai into animal figures, artisan Nam Cong is revered by his colleagues as a "master" with "profound inner strength." In 1976, Mr. Nam Cong began his passion for shaping bonsai into animal figures using raw materials such as yellow apricot trees… but repeatedly failed because these trees had too narrow an ecological range compared to the demanding requirements of shaping them into animal figures. In 1978, a friend introduced him to the fig tree, originating from Japan. Although very pleased, he found that only the banyan tree was quite similar to the fig tree. He decided to replace his entire 3-hectare orchard with banyan trees (also known as Ficus microcarpa) and fig trees. After many hardships, in 1988, Mr. Nam Cong successfully used banyan and fig trees as raw materials to create a pair of dragon statues, each 7 meters long and 2.5 meters high, which he sold to the Ben Tre Provincial Museum. This was a significant income at the time. From then on, he was confident that his family could make a living from their passion for creating animal-shaped bonsai trees.

In 1990, artisan Nam Cong's name became famous throughout the country with the success of his collection of bonsai trees depicting the 12 zodiac animals. This was followed by bonsai creations in the shape of hexagonal and octagonal houses, teapots, lotus flowers, and more. From then on, customers only needed to state their needs for bonsai trees to be placed in parks, yards, etc., and artisan Nam Cong would envision and create them all.

Artisan Nam Cong creates vases up to 8 meters high according to customer requests . PHOTO: BAC BINH

"Fortunately, after more than 40 years of serving customers both domestically and in Singapore, China, and Cambodia, my products have never received any criticism. But it's possible that people are criticizing them behind my back without me knowing," Mr. Cong said with a smile.

According to the artisan, the largest ornamental animal sculptures he has created are a pair of dragons measuring 54 meters long and about 2.5 meters high, for a customer in Hanoi . "Of course, if the customer wants the dragon sculptures to be longer or taller, I can easily make them," Mr. Cong confidently stated.

Dragon-shaped bonsai trees are easy to make but also the most talked-about.

Artisan Nam Cong often appears in simple, somewhat traditional Southern Vietnamese attire. He speaks softly and is humble in his demeanor. He shared that the dragon-shaped figurines are his favorite, most elaborate, and most prolific creations, but also the ones that give him the most thought.

According to artisan Nam Cong, the dragon mascot can be both easily and not entirely wrongly depicted, as it is a creature of imagination. Viewers often praise or criticize based on their mood, or compare it to products in film, television, painting, or other sculptures placed in different spaces with different meanings and purposes. Dragons are usually placed in large spaces with many people, so naturally, they receive the most praise and criticism.

"Before delivery, I usually let people and customers examine the sculptures freely, then I quietly observe their feelings. Of course, by then I'm already satisfied with my product, but I'm also willing to make adjustments based on appropriate feedback," the artisan said about his experience making mascots for parks, squares, and other public spaces.

An elephant sculpture crafted from banyan and fig trees by artisan Nam Cong is in the final stages of completion . (PHOTO: BAC BINH)

When a reporter from Thanh Nien newspaper asked about the origin of the "soul" of ornamental animal sculptures and why many artisans creating dragon or zodiac animal sculptures are often discussed during the Lunar New Year, artisan Nam Cong shared: "I'm not comfortable commenting on my colleagues' products. Simply because those artisans also have their own artistic ideas and put a lot of effort into their creations, hoping to satisfy their customers and the public. For me, a successful product is one where the artisan has a complete vision and sketch in their head at the moment they present the idea to the customer. This begins with creating the frame (usually made of iron or aluminum) with proportions that match the actual proportions of the animal, strictly adhering to the initial idea. The proportions of the limbs, eyes, mouth, body, etc., of the animal cannot be forced according to the artisan's own imagination. Whether the animal is larger or smaller than the real animal, the artisan must strive to adjust the details to be consistent. Of course, the artisan's passion for the product is also crucial." "My message must be conveyed through that mascot."

Speaking about artisan Nam Cong, Dr. Bui Thanh Liem, Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Cho Lach District, affirmed: "If the Cai Mon area is famous nationwide as the kingdom of ornamental plants and seedlings, then artisan Nam Cong deserves to be considered a master in the field of animal-shaped ornamental plants, a passion he has pursued and created persistently for nearly half a century. The reputation of ornamental plants in Cho Lach owes a significant part to artisan Nam Cong." (to be continued)

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhung-nghe-doc-la-thoi-hon-vao-kieng-thu-185241018215606642.htm