Dream
after clump of bamboo trees through the art of “Truc Chi”
Basing on the process of making traditional
“Do” paper of Vietnam, Bamboo material is used to replace bark of “Do”
material; combining with other creation methods to make artful paper works
named “TRUC CHI”.
“TRUC
CHI”; can be understood as “TRUC” means bamboo and “CHI” means paper, which
means papers made from bamboo. However, “TRUC CHI” is not just the name but the spirit that makes the difference,
and makes “TRUC CHI” is no longer just a type of paper made from bamboo.
So, What “TRUC CHI” can be?
Can “TRUC
CHI” be a kind of paper?
Can “Truc chi” be a difference of papermaking
technique?
Can “Truc chi” be the lowest level paper in
the papermaking technique?
Can “Truc chi” be “the Addition and the
return”?
Can “Truc chi” be a mean of plastic medium
instead of oil paint, lacquer...?
Can “Truc chi” stand independently as an
artwork?
Can “Truc chi” be commercial products?
Can “Truc chi” be a way of storytelling?
Can “Truc chi” be a kind of paper?
There are a lot of perspectives and starting
points to approach a new concept.
If understood literally, directly and
briefly, “TRUC CHI” is nothing more than a type of paper made from bamboo, a
popular material in Vietnam and many parts of the world. The use of bamboo as a
raw material to make paper is also nothing new under the sun. And paper is only
paper! It is just the transshipment base of the
desire called creation or merely just recording.
“TRUC CHI” is beyond that concept.
Can “TRUC CHI” be a difference of papermaking technique?
If “TRUC CHI” is considered as a new strange
way of original papermaking technique, it's like waking up the curiosity and
stimulating the sad pride that we still have not removed such as "the
first time ..." largest in Vietnam... which is a matter of autism records.
Because technique is still technical and technique is just results drawing out
from failed experiments, which mankind has experienced thousands of years...
the problem is what we use the techniques for, to make what , and for whom?
“TRUC
CHI” is not merely a technique concept.
Can “Truc chi” be the lowest level paper in
the papermaking technique or not?
Perhaps “TRUC CHI” will never be the top one,
even the lowest or highest, because we still have not known what can be
compared with it.
If it is toilet paper, we can compared “An
An” with “Sai Gon”, which are toilet paper branches.
With printing paper for computer, we can
compare Viet tri paper with AAA paper.
With printing/drawing/calligraphy paper, we
can compare Do paper of Vietnam with Xuyen paper of China, Washi of Japan,
Hanji of Korea, Fabriano of Itali…
“TRUC
CHI” is now beyond the boundaries of the familiarity.
Can “TRUC CHI” be “the Addition and the
return”?
THE ADDITION
For the
creation awareness:
creation results come from immanent and urgent demand of human being, for human
being. Certainly, it can not be denied or negated the achievements of the past,
but we must know to add more, refresh, and light it up under a new light ... to
create new valuesbasing on the past. By adding in new ideas, new perspectives,
combining with other values ... we totally can think of a new and unique
result, but still close with our mind and our country.
Of course, it can’t exclude the addition of
values outside the region, country or area ... This might not be a concern for
quite a long time, leading to the self-enclosed, self-destructive or the poor of
quite many other traditional values.
For the
awareness of sharing, community: New values built need the understanding and
support of community to be able to develop and bare national and humanity
characteristics. However, this is not easy- psychology of inferiority complex,
cowardice and low self-esteem ... that makes some parts of people always have
the reaction of fears, wariness, cautious, indifference or sneering at what are
outside themselves, not themselves, or do not have familiar signs - including
new values in different fields. (The low self-esteem leads to two response: Firstly is: the cowardice and considering
ourselves not belong to those values, considering it as something that we can
not participate into, secondly is:
the conceit, which considers them as normal or even trivial ones, using their
own knowledge as a measure for the values that they have not completely understood-or
being indifference, or saying: "Oh, they have made them for a long time
ago!"
So, in creation, enjoying with indifferent
attitude is the first enemy, which is manifested by the lack of intelligence
and soul.
The share of viewers, whether they praise or
make little of or give sincere comments, all of them are a source of positive
energy for next creation steps.
THE RETURN:
In creation and the awareness of sharing,
community, this Return bears the meaning of the energy continuity from
trips with traditional values of culture and humanity ... in order to extend
and renew those values in the current time – to make new values formed but still
bear the breath of the past, as an addition to thicken values of new creation which
parallel and build up toghether with the past, not corrode the past.
(Note:
Avoid mistaking between value and cost)
Can “TRUC CHI” be a mean of plastic medium
instead of oil paint, lacquer...?
Can “TRUC CHI” stand independently as an art work?
Our viewpoint is: Nothing is a substitute in
creation, but it is the parallel, because throughout it is still the
continuation and addition. If there is replacement, there is an exception,
however, the subtraction is totally not allowed to be here, in the spirit of
creation in general and “TRUC CHI” in particular.
The papermaking was previously only
considered as a handicraft, its products were used, for the other purposes,
other areas, including arts, such as: writing, drawing, printing, ect but paper
and papermaking have never been considered as the art, or been raised to the
same level with the arts.
“TRUC
CHI” with the creative spirit, not repeating, always searching ... can totally
be an independent art work. Thousands of “TRUC CHI” papers have been made
completely different, each sheet of “TRUC CHI” after leaving the frame is
already an art work. When combining with the effects of light, installation ...
or with other art branches such as Embroidery, Painting, Printing, Calligraphy
... “TRUC CHI” will bring more resonance beauty that may not be touched the
final margin.
Can
“TRUC CHI” be commercial products?
The answer is: Yes, totally possible, and not
just for one person, region .... totally can create jobs for many people, may
even be something to identify them!
If “TRUC CHI” can be linked creative energy with Vietnamese traditional handicraft
values, we can fully imagine the handmade products bearing unique, creative
Vietnamese cultural characteristics which are valuable to not only people from
other countries but also to the awareness of Vietnamese people, as a pride of Vietnam
even though it is very small.
“TRUC CHI” is not only a commercial product,
it hopes that it will carry on it all the values, culture, humanities, nation,
ect.
Can “Truc chi” be a way of storytelling?
Yes, a way of storytelling, a story of a
Vietnamese who desires to change a new perspective to see Vietnamese Bamboo
trees in a new light, a new life, the story of arduous efforts and achievement
of creation and sharing ... to find a private way next to huge values which
have been confirmed, in order to help develop the pride of Vietnamese culture in
the world and Vietnam.
General
information about “Truc chi”
A research and creation project by artist
Phan Hai Bang- Lecturer of The College of Arts, Hue University.
Starting the research since 2000.
Starting production testing in 2010 at the
College of Arts, Hue University.
Current production place: "TRUC CHI
Garden" at 4 Trieu Quang Phuc, Hue
Mobile: 0935 10 14 14
Typical
exhibitions and projects:
9/ 2012: “The Art of TRUC CHI” exhibition at
XQ Su quan, Da Lat
4/2012: “Spontaneity lotus”
Exhibition, Installation of “TRUC CHI” and the
light at XQ Co Đo, Hue
11/2012: Friendship house, 37 Đong Khoi- Ho Chi
Minh city
3/2012: “Time and Return”- “Spontaneity lotus”, Installation of
“TRUC CHI” and the light Exhibitions
2011: “A
new day” Exhibition- New Space Art Foundation.
Production
Process of “TRUC CHI”:
1. Bamboo trees are peeked burned, chopped
into small pieces, and soaked into lime water for 1 night.
2. Cook for 12 continuous hours
3. Grind with breaker within 1-4 hours
4. “Xeo” (Forming
the sheet)
5. Create patterns with water
6. Dry in the sun
7. Complete
The
application of “TRUC CHI”:
Plastic Arts:
Create independent “TRUC CHI” works
Combine with other medium techniques: manual
printing, printing, painting, calligraphy, sculpture, installation, light .....
Applied Arts:
Produce independent “TRUC CHI” works
Combine with other materials: Leather,
thread, bronze, silver, bamboo, wood ... to produce unique “TRUC CHI” products.
Combine traditional works: Embroidery,
weaving, lacquer, traditional paintings, bronze casting, wood turning, silver
score, making hat made of latanier leaves
...
Thank you!
