Palm leaf art starts from identity

Palm leaf paintings have long been famous in the traditional land of Thoai Son commune (An Giang province). The “father” and the one who breathed life into this unique type of painting is the excellent artisan Vo Van Tang (83 years old). His name has become a symbol of creativity, preserving the unique artistic quintessence not only in An Giang, but also famous throughout the country.

Father to son

In 1999, Mr. Tang began to practice his first strokes on palm leaves - a typical tree of the Seven Mountains region. The road to becoming a famous artist has never been paved with roses. In the early days, with his clumsy hands, he only dared to try his hand at small, simple paintings, sometimes hesitant before the "transformations" of colors and strokes on this strange material.

However, as each line and each color gradually became familiar, his interest and passion for creation grew stronger and stronger. For artisan Vo Van Tang, his profession is his passion, his way of preserving memories and culture of his homeland on each leaf and each stroke.

Mr. Truong Khoa - the successor of artisan Vo Van Tang

Over the years, Mr. Tang has created thousands of paintings of all sizes and themes, from portraits, landscapes, historical sites, to simple everyday images of the Southern countryside.

Some of his typical works are widely known, including paintings recreating famous landmarks of An Giang : Ba Chua Xu Temple on Sam Mountain, President Ton Duc Thang Memorial Site, Oc Eo relic, Tuc Dup Hill, Cam Mountain, Tra Su Melaleuca Forest...

Each painting shows dedication, meticulousness, neatness and creativity in every smallest detail. Not only stopping at landscapes and portraits, Mr. Tang also accepts calligraphy, nameplates and signs according to orders, meeting the diverse interests and needs of each customer.

Currently, Mr. Truong Khoa - son of artisan Vo Van Tang - is following in his father's footsteps. At first, he came to the profession out of curiosity and a bit of confusion. Through time of persistent learning and practice, his love for the profession gradually grew. Having never attended a formal art school, he learned the profession entirely from his father and predecessors.

Sharing with us, Mr. Khoa shared: “I have been involved in this profession for 25 years. The process of making paintings is laborious, requiring dexterity, meticulousness and passion. Each painting, from the cutting and grafting of leaves to sketching and finishing, requires the coordination of many workers. On average, a simple painting takes 4 days to complete.”

Each completed painting is the result of an elaborate process: selecting leaves, processing, sketching, fire carving, gluing, covering with protective glue... In particular, the technique of drawing and fire carving on leaves requires absolute precision and dexterity.

“Paint brushes” are electric pens with different large and small tips, depending on each detail and stroke, the artist will choose the appropriate one. To create sharp fire strokes, it is necessary to control the temperature and strength of the flame. Just a small mistake can ruin the painting.

Famous palm leaf paintings

In 2020, the palm leaf painting product of artisan Vo Van Tang was recognized as a 4-star provincial-level OCOP (One Commune One Product) product - an important guarantee of the quality, creativity, cultural and economic value of local products.

Currently, artisan Vo Van Tang is constantly striving to further improve the production process, enhance the quality of paintings, and aim to achieve 5-star OCOP standards in the near future.

In addition, Mr. Tang is also enthusiastic about passing on his skills to the younger generation, mostly locals, without charging any training fees. Currently, the workshop has over 10 workers. The longest-serving worker has been working for over 20 years, while the new entrants have 4-5 years of experience. The average salary for each worker is 6-8 million VND/month, depending on their skills. For large orders or on holidays, the workshop will work overtime to meet the deadline.

Ms. Ho Thi Cam Mai (27 years old), living in Thoai Son commune, got into the profession thanks to her sister's introduction. When she first started working, Ms. Mai knew nothing about palm leaf painting, but thanks to her dedicated instruction, she gradually mastered the steps of sketching, cutting and assembling leaves, completing paintings from simple to complex.

“With a stable income, this job is not only easier than manual labor but also gives me a sense of pride when creating artistic products bearing the mark of my hometown,” said Ms. Mai.

Despite many achievements, artisan Vo Van Tang is still struggling with the problem of maintaining raw material sources, expanding the market, and developing the brand. According to him, in order for An Giang palm leaf paintings to continue to affirm their position, it is necessary to constantly improve quality, innovate designs, and renew themes.

“I hope that one day in the near future, An Giang palm leaf paintings will be known to more international friends, becoming the pride of my homeland,” Mr. Tang shared.

Article and photos: PHUONG LAN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/nghe-thuat-la-thot-not-khoi-nghiep-tu-ban-sac-a425332.html