'Breathing life' into wood

While most young artists find inspiration on a blank canvas, artist Ha Van Dai, a member of the Thai Nguyen Literature and Arts Association, has chosen a different path – creating through wood sculpture. From hard, dry blocks of wood, he patiently and quietly tells his own stories, transforming them into vibrant sculptures full of character and personality.

The wood sculptures of artist Ha Van Dai possess a unique character of their own.

In a small workshop in Bac Kan ward, where many newly collected blocks of wood are stacked, the sounds of chisels and hammers echo regularly. Ha Van Dai stands before a large block of wood, his eyes intently observing each grain, then leans over, slowly placing the chisel and skillfully removing the excess wood. Thus, from an initial piece of wood, under Ha Van Dai's skillful hands, gradually emerges the figure of a highland woman, her shoulders slung over a rattan basket, her arms cradling a sleeping child.

The carvings on the wood surface seem to further mark the passage of time, evoking the arduous yet warm lives of the women in the highlands.

Sharing about his journey into the art of sculpture with his unique style, artist Ha Van Dai said: "I was born in 1991 in Thanh Thinh commune. From a young age, I was passionate about painting and sculpture. I used to paint many pictures, but in 2019, I had the opportunity to travel to many provinces in the North, and I realized that the cultures of the ethnic groups were very unique and wanted to express them on wood. My wood sculptures don't follow a fixed proportion, but are based on inspiration. That's what makes them so different."

A distinctive feature of Ha Van Dai's sculptural art is his pursuit of the "naive" style – a simple yet highly creative term.

Instead of pursuing absolute physical perfection, Dai deliberately retained his rough, instinctive features, full of the essence of the highlands, reflecting the life of mountain people: genuine yet strong, simple yet profound.

Ha Van Dai's sculptures also reflect this spirit. He primarily depicts images of people from the highlands, such as Hmong women, family members, men, and children.

At the 29th Regional Fine Arts Exhibition III (Northwest - Northern Vietnam) in 2024, Ha Van Dai's work "Highlands" won the "Young Artist" award. This is a significant recognition for an artist pursuing a unique artistic path, deeply rooted in national identity.

Perhaps it is this uniqueness that has led to Ha Van Dai's works being purchased by cafe and homestay owners both within and outside the province to decorate their establishments. Ha Van Dai further shared: "I will continue to create works that are deeply rooted in the cultural identity of the highlands of Thai Nguyen ."

Some sculptures by Ha Van Dai at the "Cham Colors - The Headwaters of the Cau River" exhibition, scheduled for 2025.

Besides pursuing themes of highland identity, Ha Van Dai also creates works in an environmentally friendly style. Instead of buying new blocks of wood, many of his works are crafted from discarded tree stumps and trunks found in the forest or in carpentry workshops.

What seemed like useless, rotten, or cracked pieces of wood have been brought back to life in new artistic forms by the skillful hands of Ha Van Dai. He sees this as both a challenge and an opportunity. A challenge because the material is imperfect and has many flaws; but also an opportunity because the natural scratches and cracks create a unique personality for the artwork.

Artist Ha Van Dai shared that crafting wooden sculptures not only saves costs but also contributes to conveying a message of green living and respect for the natural environment. Each of his works therefore not only possesses aesthetic value but also conveys an awareness of environmental protection – a new beauty in his creative artistic thinking.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202509/thoi-hon-cho-go-4a832a3/