Western house model made from cardboard: Like seeing childhood memories again

Not having attended any art school or being an architect, Ms. Nguyen Hong Phuc (Tan Thanh Ward, Ca Mau ) has surprised many people with her ability to "reconstruct memories" with miniature models of Western houses. Thatched houses, corrugated iron roofs, bamboo fences, or meals in the kitchen... in the West are all vividly present in each work.

Mô hình nhà miền Tây từ bìa carton gợi nhớ ký ức tuổi thơ của nhiều người - Ảnh 1. — Ms. Nguyen Hong Phuc surprised many people with her ability to "reconstruct memories" using miniature models. PHOTO: GB

Old houses in the West do not need blueprints

The idea of making a model of a Western house came to Ms. Phuc during the period of social distancing to prevent the Covid-19 epidemic. By chance, she saw a picture of a tiny stilt house model on social media, so she tried to make it herself. The more she did, the more passionate she became. From tongue depressors, bamboo toothpicks, scraps of fabric... through Ms. Phuc's skillful hands, each old house gradually appeared: a porch, a water jar, a rice mill, a hammock swinging next to a fish pond.

Mô hình nhà miền Tây từ bìa carton gợi nhớ ký ức tuổi thơ của nhiều người - Ảnh 2. — A miniature Western house model made by Ms. Nguyen Hong Phuc. PHOTO: GB

What's special is that many of the houses she builds do not follow existing models, but are built from memories. Sometimes it's just an old photo, sometimes it's a childhood fantasy. "I like the rustic, simple look of the past. Many things are gone, but memories are not lost. Every time I complete a model, I feel like I'm back to my childhood days with my parents and grandparents," Phuc shared.

Mô hình nhà miền Tây từ bìa carton gợi nhớ ký ức tuổi thơ của nhiều người - Ảnh 3. — The model of an old Western countryside house made by Ms. Nguyen Hong Phuc evokes a rustic, familiar living space. PHOTO: GB

To date, Ms. Phuc has made more than 20 models, large and small. The houses are only the size of a hand, but inside is a living space of a time: there is an ancestral altar, a simple meal, an old radio playing Bolero music, grandparents sitting drinking tea on the porch... All of them are taken care of by her down to the smallest detail.

People call it "framed memories". She doesn't make them to sell to a lot of people, but because she hopes that whoever sees them will remember their old house. There are customers who ask her to recreate their parents' old house, with just a few blurry photos. When the model is finished, they burst into tears because it "looks so real".

Mô hình nhà miền Tây từ bìa carton gợi nhớ ký ức tuổi thơ của nhiều người - Ảnh 4. — An old classroom model with a blackboard, wooden tables and chairs and familiar slogans, recalling memories of school days. PHOTO: GB

"Once, an old man nearly 80 years old came to watch me make a model. He stood there for hours, just to watch each operation, then told stories about the past, about the house he used to live in. I understand that for many people, this small model is not only a work of art, but also a place to return to," Ms. Phuc said.

Art touches memory

Not only does she make models to sell, Ms. Phuc also lends her products to schools to teach preschool students about their roots and their grandparents’ old hometown. Many teachers believe that these models help children visualize the old way of life more intuitively, thereby nurturing love for their homeland in their young souls.

Mô hình nhà miền Tây từ bìa carton gợi nhớ ký ức tuổi thơ của nhiều người - Ảnh 5. — Ms. Phuc's skillful hands meticulously bend each small detail to create a vivid model imbued with the soul of the countryside. PHOTO: GB

Each of Ms. Phuc's models costs from 500,000 VND to over 1 million VND, depending on the level of sophistication. But she said, what makes her happiest is not the money, but when viewers exclaim: "It's exactly like my old house!".

Mô hình nhà miền Tây từ bìa carton gợi nhớ ký ức tuổi thơ của nhiều người - Ảnh 6. — Model of an old country house and familiar objects, preserving the lifestyle of a bygone era. PHOTO: GB

"Making a model takes a lot of effort and meticulousness. If I sell it cheap, it won't be worth the effort, but if I sell it too expensive, people won't buy it. So, I only make it for those who truly understand the value and sympathize with me," she shared.

Mô hình nhà miền Tây từ bìa carton gợi nhớ ký ức tuổi thơ của nhiều người - Ảnh 7. — Ms. Phuc introduces one of more than 20 Western countryside house models she made. PHOTO: GB

For Ms. Phuc, each model is not only a work of art but also a spiritual gift for her child. Her little daughter was inspired and now loves drawing and modeling, and has a clear aesthetic talent.

Mô hình nhà miền Tây từ bìa carton gợi nhớ ký ức tuổi thơ của nhiều người - Ảnh 8. — The miniature model recreates the living room of a house in the West, recalling the familiar living space of the 1980s and 1990s. PHOTO: GB

She sees this as a gentle but effective way of educating her children, so that they can appreciate what their parents and grandparents have gone through. "I don't expect my children to follow in my footsteps or become artists, I just hope they can maintain their feelings for their homeland and simple things," she confided.

Mô hình nhà miền Tây từ bìa carton gợi nhớ ký ức tuổi thơ của nhiều người - Ảnh 9. — Ms. Phuc works diligently on small models, passing on her passion and love for her homeland to the next generation through every meticulous detail. PHOTO: GB

From a hobby during the pandemic, up to now, Ms. Phuc's old Western countryside models have contributed to reviving a part of the countryside soul that is gradually fading in modern life. Without noise, without massive promotion, but her products quietly touch the memories of many people.

According to Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/mo-hinh-nha-mien-tay-lam-tu-bia-carton-nhu-thay-lai-ky-uc-tuoi-tho-a425546.html