On her journey towards a sustainable lifestyle, Nguyen Thi Thu Trang chose to pursue green art as a way to connect the community with culture and the environment through everyday activities.
Thu Trang and her artwork "Lotus Pond" made from handmade paper (banana paper, bamboo paper, and do paper) and banana fiber.
Born in 1990 and a graduate of Hanoi University of Architecture, Thu Trang has spent many years working in applied art with various materials. However, the more she worked, the more she realized that the constantly changing market led to waste, many products lacking individuality, and increasingly moving away from familiar materials in Vietnamese life.
Green art, made from recycled materials, is attracting many people to experience it.
In recent years, Trang has shifted her focus to creating handcrafted art using natural and recycled materials. She opened a creative space called Chạm Xưởng (Touch Workshop) in Ecopark, where people can create their own products from recycled materials and experience the art of crafting.
"In the past, many materials left over from the harvest were almost thrown away. But once we started working with them, we realized those materials could go through another life cycle. The important thing is knowing how to see and develop them into new products," Trang shared.
In the craft workshops, green fairs, and recycled goods events she organizes, the materials used are mostly banana fiber, craft paper, or recycled materials from everyday life. The classroom space is not overly elaborate; it's mainly a place for people to sit together, make a handmade item, and chat.
According to Thu Trang, what she noticed most clearly after many workshops was the need for connection among young people today. Some people work in offices all week, and on weekends they come just to sit quietly for a few hours, focusing on making a craft product. There are also those who previously thought they weren't skilled with their hands, but once they started, they were quite patient and enjoyed it.
"Many people said it had been a long time since they felt the urge to concentrate on something without constantly checking their phones. Some even messed things up and had to fix them from scratch, but ultimately still wanted to finish the task," she recounted.
What's special is that most of the products are made from very rustic materials. According to Thu Trang, banana fiber or natural paper already have beautiful surfaces and colors, so the makers don't need to intervene too much; they just need to know how to preserve the inherent rawness of the material.
From these seemingly ordinary materials, many decorative products, wall art, and handicrafts with unique characteristics are gradually being created. They are not overly elaborate but are familiar and suitable for modern living spaces.
For her, the message "From green art to a green heart" is simply about how people can live closer to nature, appreciate the resources around them, and connect with each other more.
From seemingly discarded materials left over from the harvest, many new handcrafted products are created through recycling and innovation.
Nowadays, many young people are becoming more interested in green living, recycling, and traditional craft values. Many seek out workshops to make handmade items and want to learn more about materials and how old materials can be transformed into functional and aesthetically pleasing products.
The most challenging aspect for Nguyen Thu Trang in pursuing this art form is processing raw materials to create durable structures suitable for various designs. After numerous experiments, she gradually found her own path with products made from natural fibers.
Among them, the "Lotus Fiber" collection is her most passionate project to date. The image of a banana tree after the harvest is transformed into lotus flowers, symbolizing rebirth and the continuation of the material's life cycle.
Thu Trang believes that through small workshops and products made from recycled materials, she feels that more and more people are becoming interested in a green lifestyle and traditional handicraft values. Preserving the environment sometimes begins with very small changes in daily life, from how people reuse old materials to appreciating handcrafted products more.
Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/nguoi-tre-song-xanh-tu-nhung-soi-chuoi-bo-di-238260509140133811.htm
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