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| Artist Ngo Dinh Bao Vi |
Truc Chi has been existing for 10 years. During that period, what values has Truc Chi created, Madam?
As many people know, Truc Chi was originally born in Hue after a long period of research and practice by Phan Hai Bang, a lecturer at College of Art, Hue University. It made its first appearance at a personal exhibition in 2012, where the translator Buu Y named it Truc Chi meaning a kind of paper for art made from bamboo, a cultural symbol of the Vietnamese spirit.
In 2013, under Phan Hai Bang’s guidance, my team and I founded Vietnam Truc Chi Art, Ltd. with a view of making it professional.
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| A Truc Chi work at Nang Exhibition |
In retrospect, it has really been a hard 10-year journey. We spent the first two years just searching for orientation with series of questions such as “Which path should we take?” “Where will it take us to?” Finally, we chose the motto “Aesthetics - Education - Society.” We put ourselves in the place of artists, so all the paths that we have taken aimed at aesthetics.
In 2014, the fact that we won many national awards such as the third prize at the national Applied Fine Arts Exhibition and the award at the National Young Art Festival strengthened our belief in the path that Truc Chi has chosen, the path of “building Truc Chi to become a Vietnamese cultural value.”
Another big mark that greatly moved us was the fact that the Thua Thien Hue People's Committee chose Truc Chi paintings as gifts for the Japanese Emperor and Empress when they visited Hue in 2017. That meant our efforts had been recognized. At Truc Chi Garden, we set up the milestone “Truc Chi Km0” meaning Hue is the headquarters from which Truc Chi spreads.
So, what is your next journey? Next ten years, for instance?
Though Truc Chi has been existing for 10 years, we think that our future journey is still very long, and we need assistance from the community so that we will be able to achieve our humane and happy values. What we have to do next is “to found an art organization focusing on preserving the Hue traditional culture.”
This is the place where all the members of Truc Chi and anyone who visits realize that is an environment where they can research and develop all their ideas: Artists create works; those in human resource field can develop their work philosophies; salespeople with “crazy” ideas are supported; and customers feel peaceful as soon as they enter.
The most important thing is we will develop Truc Chi into a technology on the basis of our previous scientific research.
Let’s go back to the exhibition in Danang. Why is it named “Nang”? And why not in Hue headquarters?
With “Nang,” we provided the viewer an overview of Truc Chi showing its capacity of expression. We expect the public to have a complete and deep look at Truc Chi. Truc Chi is not simply paper from bamboo, neither a story of ingredients. Truc Chi is a story set up for a very Vietnamese cultural value.
“Nang” implies we are living in an active and energetic context. After many years, we are thinking about passing it down to the next generation by designing a procedure aiming at our intended values. In addition, Danang has an advantage over other regions; it has an art museum with space for exhibitions, which we need.
Will the exhibitions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City be different from “Nang” in Danang?
As planned, we will continue with our exhibitions to mark the 10-year celebration in Hanoi (Tham) and Ho Chi Minh City (Hop.) At each exhibition, we will choose a type of creation as the focus. After all, the capacity of changing and adapting has made Truc Chi develop to these days. We call it “a continuity from tradition in the contemporary context.”
After more than 10 years of development and creativity, Vietnam Truc Chi Art has exploited lots of techniques to create applied works. Could you tell us about that in more detail?
Probably our biggest achievement after ten years is the fact that we have successfully built a system of trademarks including Truc Chi graphic paintings, Truc Chi - Tin niem Tuong Minh (folk belief products), Truc Chi accessories, Truc Chi gifts, Truc Chi interior designing (screens, tea tables, cupboards, etc.) and Truc Chi for creativity.
Thank you, Madam