Exploring traditional Mid-Autumn lantern exhibition in HCMC

Update: 04/09/2024
In celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a group of young artists from “Khoi Dang Tac Khi” has painstakingly recreated traditional lanterns from over a century ago, using materials such as bamboo, rattan, cellophane, and poonah paper. Their aim is to preserve and share the beauty of ancient culture, offering a rich and immersive Mid-Autumn experience through this collection of traditional lanterns.

A grand 10-meter-long Dai Long lantern is the highlight of the exhibition, inspired by a photograph from the Phu Giay festival in Nam Dinh Province, dating back nearly a century

The exhibition is being held at 187 Bach Dang, Tan Binh District, HCMC, and is open daily from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. It will run until September 20, with an entry fee of VND50,000 per person.

The exhibition showcases around 70 meticulously crafted lantern models

Creating this lantern was a significant effort, involving 10 artisans and taking over 400 hours to complete

One of the most challenging part is painting patterns on the fragile cellophane while keeping it stretched over the lantern frame

Traditional materials like cellophane paper are used throughout the designs

The lantern frames are carefully hand-shaped using heat torches, a process that requires exceptional skill

This meticulous technique produces smooth, graceful curves in the lanterns’ structures

Visitors to the exhibition can enjoy presentations that include images and historical insights into the rich tradition of Vietnamese lantern-making

A small girl poses for a photo with a lantern on display

A 3D artist at work enhances the exhibition’s dynamic and creative atmosphere

The exhibition’s success is further highlighted by the display of paper effigies depicting two scholarly mandarins - one civil, one military

These effigies are adorned with intricate, hand-carved details, demonstrating the high level of craftsmanship

 

Traditional Vietnamese clay figurines, known as to he, evoke a sense of childhood nostalgia

By The Ky

Source: The Saigon Times - english.thesaigontimes.vn - Aug 31, 2024