'Breathing life' into silk flowers

In a small shop of less than 10 square meters on Cha Ca Street (Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi ), artisan Mai Hanh's nimble fingers make each cut, trimming each petal and leaf in just a few short seconds. The skillful and decisive bending of the branches creates a standing shape for the flower. Each time she finishes assembling a detail, she tilts her head, admiring it, then smooths the petals to make them soft and lively. “To create a lively, soulful silk flower work, I have to put my whole soul into the flower. When touching real flowers, I have to break each petal, look at each bud, and feel the fragrance of that flower. As for lotus flowers, I have a lot of affection for this flower. My lotus works are solemnly displayed on Uncle Ho’s altar at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, during international receptions at the Presidential Palace, the Government Office , etc.,” the female artist confided.

The female artist is 73 years old but her hands are still graceful and skillful.

More specifically, all the materials used to make silk flowers are taken from Vietnamese craft villages. Artisan Mai Hanh proudly said: “You can tell right away when you look at my work. First, I never use dyes, always good quality paints so they don’t fade easily. Second, I choose fabrics very carefully, never using foreign silk, but always Ha Dong silk”. Artisan Mai Hanh’s shop is like a forest of flowers blooming all year round, but the most prominent is still the “national flower of Vietnam” - the lotus. Through the skillful hands of the female artisan, the lotus has a pure beauty, with calyx, pistil and pollen, the lotus petals are dyed pink and white, with harmonious light and dark colors, looking no different from real flowers. Talking about her fate with the profession, artisan Mai Hanh said that since she was a child, she learned a lot from her mother, the Indochina female artisan Doan Thi Thai. When talking about her mother, artisan Mai Hanh was moved: “When talking about silk flowers, I think of my beloved mother. In the past, my mother was taught a lot about the quintessence of women's crafts, so I also learned a lot from her, especially the silk flower craft. When I was a child, I did not like this silk flower craft at all, I only liked dancing and performing arts. But then my mother guided and taught me the craft, and from then on I was passionate and fascinated with the craft until now.”

Because of her unique talent in creating silk flowers, artisan Mai Hanh was invited to perform and teach in many countries around the world . In each place, she researched the culture and beliefs of that nation and then meticulously made silk flowers that looked exactly like Dutch tulips, Russian blue roses, Japanese flower arrangements, etc. The silk flower works of artisan Mai Hanh were always highly appreciated by international friends. Artisan Mai Hanh proudly shared that once she participated in a silk flower performance in Japan with representatives of 12 other countries. At that time, artisans from all countries used a small machine to stamp leaves, stamping 8-12 petals at a time. But in Vietnam's booth, artisan Mai Hanh only used her hands and scissors to create the work, which made a strong impression on the organizers and international audiences. “At that time, the Organizing Committee requested that I could draw, cut and make any kind of flower on the spot, completely by hand, so Vietnamese works were highly regarded by international friends. Afterwards, I was awarded a certificate of merit by the Emperor of Japan, and I was also honored to sign my name on the petals and present them directly to the Emperor,” artisan Mai Hanh enthusiastically recounted.

With many of her beautiful flower works, in 2016, artisan Mai Hanh was officially awarded the title of People's Artisan by the President for her outstanding contributions to preserving and developing traditional handicrafts. The unique handmade silk flower works of artisan Mai Hanh are loved by many people, who affectionately gave her the nickname "Queen of Silk Flowers" or "Silk Flowers of Hanoi". In her 60 years of working, artisan Mai Hanh always hopes to preserve and maintain the art of silk flower trimming in the future. Mrs. Hanh's children all have artistic talent and are continuing their mother's work.