"Mot coi di ve" by the late talented musician
“Duoi hinh, bat bong”
Despite being a construction engineer, Bui Van Tu has always loved the art of light sculpture.
Talking about his "predestined career", Tu said: "When I was a student, I worked part-time by building penjing. During that process, I had to learn how to shed lights to create highlights for the product. Unexpectedly, one day, the shadow of the penjing landed on the wall, forming the shape of a bear. So I came up with the idea of creating sculptures from this shadow."
Unprecedentedly, Bui Van Tu encountered many difficulties in the process of perfecting the skill of “chasing the shape to capture the shadow”. Through many trials, from a means to express his passion for the art (in conjunction with his main job as a construction engineer), Bui Van Tu was determined to pursue this new art.
He shared: “Among many materials, I choose driftwood and ceramic to create my works. This is because even when not yet crafted, these materials have been deeply imprinted by the hallmark of nature and humans.
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Following the stories of life, culture, and history, the images created by the Hanoian man carry the breath of three elements of body, mind, and wisdom, corresponding to the three stages, which are also the three different techniques.
“They include a crafting technique (preliminary concept and design); a technique of finding inspiration to convey the vibration of the heart, thereby creating the soul of the work; analytical technique to express creativity on each piece of works to create a harmonious and logical layout between shapes and shadows,” he explained.
Having spent hours and months creating dozens of light sculptures, Bui Van Tu has created his own path with workshops and studios. Not only emotional artworks about President Ho Chi Minh, Vietnamese mothers or coach Park Hang-seo, he also has admiration and sincerity for Hue Ancient Capital.
He said: “Hue is a locality with poetic landscapes, nature and people, where cultures converge in depth. Therefore, I have had many opportunities to visit and experience this land."
Deeply in love with Hue
Falling in love with the Ancient Capital 3 years ago, he said: "At that time, I displayed a work of Buddha's portrait based on the image of a broken ceramic vase. It was an exhibition of the birth of Huong Sa pottery, the interference of the quintessence of Bat Trang craft village and the alluvium of the Perfume River, the fine soil hid itself in the essence and the depth of culture and history of Hue Ancient Capital.
"The Muse of Hue" through the work of Bui Van Tu
Later, with his own experiences, Bui Van Tu continued to create pieces of work bearing the impression of the Huong Ngu region. They were the portrait of Trinh Cong Son, the late talented musician and the work "Muse" inspired by the beauty of Hue’s maidens. Not just simply copying anatomical details, he must learn about the characteristics, personality of the person that he wishes to express.
“Therefore, before and during the process of sculpting the late musician Trinh Cong Son, I always listen to the songs he composed to better soak in and capture the emotions and express them as honestly as possible. Each finished work is successful when, in addition to the appearance, viewers can feel the heartbeat in it," he said.
In addition to the piece "Muse", in the near future, Thien Mu Pagoda or Ngo Mon (Noon Gate) will also become the subjects that Bui Van Tu is passionate about crafting and creating. He promises: “I will definitely have many opportunities to return to Hue to participate in exhibitions and find more emotions and inspirations for composition. Above all, I want to create unique and artistic works so that light sculptures with their layers of meaning from shapes and shadows can reach a wider audience.”
Story: Mai Hue
Photos: Provided by Bui Van Tu