Fostering the Vietnamese traditional brand of lacquer art

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism last week approved a project to build up and promote Vietnamese lacquer art as a national brand for period of 2020-30.
The project is aimed at honoring Vietnamese lacquer art, promoting the development of Vietnamese culture as well as contributing to economic growth.

Ha Thai trade lacquer village. Photo: Kinh te & Do thi

The project will be implemented in stages which include building logo; setting up the recognition mark and identifier of "Vietnamese lacquer painting"; issuing the lacquer elaboration process and material standards; investing, advertising and promoting the planting area of Rhus succedaneum (main material of Vietnamese lacquer) in Phu Tho province; introducing the lacquer products from Ha Thai’s village and gold- and silver-plated products from Bac Ninh province.

Under the project, two traditional lacquer villages will be put on preservation and development list are Ha Thai lacquer craft village in Hanoi and Tuong Binh Hiep lacquer painting village in Thu Dau Mot, Binh Duong province.

Under the project of the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition, the "International Lacquer Art" festival is expected to be held in Vietnam.

Art schools, vocational schools, training institutions need to improve the quality and renovate the training program for creating lacquerware in the direction of professionalization. These training centers on lacquer techniques need to integrate traditional skill with new technologies to foster Vietnamese lacquer art and widely introduce them in Vietnam and abroad.