Hue Traditional Craft Festival 2023 was held from April 28 to May 5 2023, with a spontaneous space featuring numerous activities and art programs stretching along the two banks of the Huong River and other locations in Hue City.
The festival’s exhibit and introduction products area has assembled 21 traditional craft occupations with the attendance of 69 craft villages, handcrafted manufacturing facilities, and over 350 prominent artisans in Vietnam. The festival is a venue for displaying the works of traditional craft villages as well as strengthening investment cooperation partnerships in domestic and international consumer markets for traditional handcrafted products.
Three nostalgic artworks were honored at Hue Traditional Craft Festival 2023, including:
1.“Eighteen Arhats and Three Great Buddhas” sculpture – The artwork was made of a monolithic jackfruit trunk by sculptor Phung Huu Tai
The “Eighteen Arhats and Three Great Buddhas” sculpture is formed of an over 300-year-old monolithic jackfruit tree with a trunk diameter of 150cm, stump circumference of 360cm, and height of 380cm. This piece was carved by Thai Vinh fine art wood carving enterprise owner Phung Huu Thai, who has been in business for ten years. In 2008, he was awarded the title of Artist of Thua Thien – Hue by the People’s Committee of Thua Thien-Hue Province for his outstanding contributions to the preservation and development of traditional handicrafts in the region.
Artist Phung Huu Thai with his work. The work is displayed at Nguyen Dinh Chieu pedestrian street
2.“Lotus-leaf conical hat” model of painter Nguyen Thanh Thao
This leaf conical hat artwork model was collaged from nearly 800 lotus leaves that were carefully chosen and collected by painter Nguyen Thanh Thao. The “Lotus-leaf conical hat” model has a diameter of 5 meters, a height of 3 meters, and an extremely solid iron frame inside.
The giant lotus-leaf conical hat has contributed to publicizing and promoting the poetic scenery of Hue’s conical hat, consequently growing the Hue conical hat craft village, economy pushing the traditional village’s products, and making a highlight in the tourism industry in Hue Festival 2023.
Artisan Nguyen Thanh Thao is constantly researching and innovating to create exquisite and impressive products bearing the brand name of dreamy Hue.
3.“Hue imperial-style wooden three-entrance gate” of artisan Le Dac Nguyen Xuan
“Hue imperial-style wooden three-entrance gate” was constructed in 60 days by business household Le Dac Nguyen Xuan, a unit specializing in refurbishing the famous “nhà rường” (wooden house with many beams and pillars) in Hue. This is a work made of Erythrophleum fordii with a roof size of 8m2 long, 3m2 wide, and 6m2 high. “Nhà rường” has 3 spans and 3 floors in the form of 3 spans, 1 space, and 16 roofs. “Nhà rường” has 14 pillars, 8 of which are main pillars 3m3 high and other pillars 4m6 high.
With the aim of honoring the handicraft works of Hue’s craft villages in particular and the ancient history values of Vietnamese craft villages in general, the Vietnam Records Organization (VietKings) has announced and awarded a record-setting certificate to these three sophisticated artworks at the Closing Ceremony of Hue Traditional Craft Festival 2023.
Lawyer Nguyen Manh Quy (far right) – Deputy Director of the Institute of Intellectual Property, Standing Committee of Vietnam Record-Setting Council; and Ms. Vo Luu Lan Uyen – Deputy General Secretary of the Vietnam Records Organization (VietKings) awarded a national record certificate to artisans (Photo: VietKings).
