Hong Duc Thanh, now based in Norway, has been pursuing the art of ceramic painting since the 1980s. He has a great interest in the art style and studied the painting methods by himself. To hone his skills, he went to Taiwan (China), where ceramics has flourished for centuries.

Painter Hong Duc Thanh (R) is pictured with his artwork painted on one of the world's thinnest ceramic bowls, crafted by Taiwanese artisan Huang Cheng-nan.

Thanh has held many exhibitions in the U.S., Japan, Thailand, and China, which have stunned art enthusiasts and critics.

His most appreciated work is an ornate painting on the thinnest ceramic bowl in the world, crafted by Taiwanese potter Huang Cheng-nan in 2010. This bowl is currently on display at the Shanghai Museum, China.

Thanh has given lectures and training classes on ceramic painting with the hope to promote this art style all over the world.

Meanwhile, ceramic engineer Le Ngoc Thach was born into a family with a rich tradition of pottery making in Bat Trang Village, Gia Lam District, Hanoi. Cultivating a love for the art of ceramics since childhood, Thach decided to study abroad and graduated with a degree in silicate chemistry from China’s Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute.

Witnessing the rapid growth of the ceramic industry in the world, Thach wants to create new products that blend the Vietnamese traditional values with modern updates and high application.

Thach is now working as the technical and product development director of Quang Vinh Ceramic Co., Ltd. His company's products have been exported nearly 30 countries around the world.

Thach has been interested in crystalline ceramics since he was a university student. He stressed that crystalline ceramics can attract ceramic lovers at first sight thanks to their unique colours, such as inlaid pearls, mother-of-pearl and snail shells, and their high aesthetic value.

Working in crystalline ceramics since 2004, Thach discovered that the secret of this genre lies in the material and the firing process. However, he acknowledges that he has not yet mastered the technique because each final product doesn’t fully match his initial arrangement or intention.

Painter Hong Duc Thanh and engineer Le Ngoc Thach met at an event hosted by the Vietnam Fine Arts Association in October 2022.

Sharing a common interest and love for ceramics, they joined hands to organise an exhibition entitled ‘Flowers on crystalline ceramics’ at the Centre of Vietnamese Quintessential Craft Villages in Bat Trang Village.

The duo spent a lot of time working together and experimenting at the ceramic workshop to prepare for the exhibition.

The difficulty artist Hong Duc Thanh faced in this project was in how to honour the inherent beauty of crystalline ceramics, because each vase and plate made from crystalline ceramics is already a work of art in and of itself.

Artist Hong Duc Thanh's paintings on ceramics.

With his skilful and flexible brushstrokes, he created paintings of blooming flowers with harmonious and tight compositions on ceramic products. Notably, Thanh never prepares any sketches for his artworks beforehand, but inspirationally performs his paintings on the spot.

After painting flowers on ceramics, the firing stage determines the success of the final products. This stage requires carefulness as well as experience in temperature adjustment to prevent the paint from melting and the pottery from cracking.

Thanh’s paintings on ceramics have encouraged and inspired art practitioners and pottery makers to tighten their collaboration in creating more artworks with higher quality and aesthetic values.

Bac Giang preserves and promotes development of craft villages

The northern province of Bac Giang has deployed a plan to preserve and promote the development of local craft villages during the 2022-2030 period.

Thua Thien Hue moves to preserve the craft of conical hat making

Together with the Ao Dai (traditional Vietnamese long dress), the conical hat is an item that closely associated with Vietnamese women. Conical hats are one of the unique handicraft products of Thua Thien Hue province. In recent years, the provincial authorities have adopted many measures to develop the brand of its conical hats, while safeguarding the locality’s traditional culture.

Bac Giang conserves and develops 27 craft villages

(BGO) – The People’s Committee in Bac Giang province has issued Plan to conserve and develop the traditional craft village in the province in 2022 – 2030 period.

Bac Giang’s craft villages bustling at year-end

(BGO) - At the end of the year, people in craft villages across Bac Giang province are busy producing goods to meet market demand. A vibrant atmosphere overwhelms everywhere from craft villages making household appliances to those engaging in food processing.

Art of crafting and dancing to flutes recognised as National Intangible Cultural Heritage

"The art of making and dancing to the flute of the H'mong people in Dien Bien province" has been recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Source: NDO