Hanoi artist's lacquer paintings capture national soul

Chu Quang’s art combines tradition and modernity, showcasing his rich and diverse background.

Inspired by traditional mascots like turtles, dragons, unicorns, and phoenixes, Quang infuses his lacquer works with these legendary symbols, weaving them into his unique artistic vision. His creations vividly capture the essence of these cultural icons, bridging the past and present.

Quang’s early works focused on lacquered still lifes, featuring everyday objects such as fruits, ceramic vases, dolls, and household items. These initial pieces laid the groundwork for his distinctive style and set the stage for his evolving artistic journey.

Since his youth, Chu Quang has been passionate about art. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times

Chu Quang amazed everyone with his inventiveness, although still-life painting is a subject that tends to be monotonous. His grandfather taught him certain delicate techniques, which he used to create lacquer paintings depicting still life that were profound and vibrant. In addition to being works of art, his paintings take the viewer on a journey to appreciate the understated elegance of everyday life.

Quang's first piece, Bellflowers in a Ceramic Vase, was inspired by a pottery class. Observing the unusual ceramic shapes, the idea stuck in his mind. After a year of hard work, he created paintings from memory instead of drawing normal still lifes. This also marked the beginning of his creative experimentation with lacquer.

Chu Quang skillfully blends modernity and tradition in his landscape paintings, creating a serene and profound representation of the northern countryside. Through his works, viewers are struck by the youthful artist's talent and passion, as well as the inherent beauty of Vietnamese culture.

One medium that helps artists communicate their creative universe is lacquer. Chu Quang has tried watercolor and charcoal, among other mediums, but only lacquer can satisfy his urge to create texture and play with color. With each piece, Chu Quang not only demonstrates his love and respect for traditional values but also brings a fresh, contemporary perspective to Vietnamese lacquer art.

Chu Quang's painting is a combination of modernity and traditional lacquer.

Quang first experimented with lacquer, using conventional shades of red and gold leaf. However, in the process of creation, the need to forge his own personality led him to choose colors based on his preferences, maintaining tradition while incorporating modern color schemes and brightness.

Before pursuing a career in lacquer art, Quang was on the verge of entering the design field. However, Chu Quang returned to lacquerwork because of his family's cultural emphasis on national origin.

Chu Quang felt grateful to have his father and grandfather by his side to provide him with inspiration, as he knew that learning the traditional lacquer technique would be extremely challenging and exhausting.

I find this art form strangely compelling because it requires me to carefully apply eggshells one at a time until the layers of paint stack on top of each other and produce unexpected outcomes. It's an ecstatic experience that defies description. I get excited every time because the process is repetitive and I can never predict the end result," Quang said.

Encouraging dedication

"Chu Quang effortlessly combines the contemporary and the traditional in his paintings without trying to impose it," said renowned artist Thanh Chuong, "A painter whose paintings, when viewed by connoisseurs, recognize whose work it is, is an outstanding success," Chuong added.

Chu Quang's lacquer art is inspired by water puppets and rural landscapes.

According to Chuong, whether he likes it or not, Chu Quang's work is influenced by his father and grandparents because he grew up in an artistic family. With such a foundation, however, he is forging his own identity rather than adhering to family tradition.

"There are people who always have to find their style and try to create an identity in their work. Some succeed, some fail. But in Quang, the core of the national cultural origin is already in him. Moreover, when he studies abroad, he receives modern and civilized things from a very early age and in a systematic way, which shapes the young artist and his creativity," said artist Thanh Chuong.

Chuong said that with his passion, family background, and natural talent, Chu Quang will succeed in his artistic career.

Meanwhile, poet and painter Nguyen Quang Thieu expressed his admiration: "Chu Quang's great passion is painting on a large scale, which requires the ability to generalize, master the layout and theme, which is not easy for an artist who has just turned 30. In addition, Chu Quang chose traditional lacquer, which is not as brilliant and eye-catching as lacquer from Japan or some other countries. This is a challenge for the young artist because he wants to bring traditional values into contemporary life.

"With a passion for art, a quality that not only Chu Quang but every artist needs, I believe he will be an artist worth waiting for to see his contemporary works further introduced to the public," Thieu said.

At the age of 30, Chu Quang has been tremendously prolific, creating 50 large-scale works in one year. He will exhibit these paintings at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel on the occasion of the Capital Liberation anniversary (October 10).

A painting inspired by Turtle, a popular figure of water puppetry.