Statues of sao la, the mascot for SEA Games 31, were completely handcrafted from jackfruit wood by artisan Nguyen Tan Phat.
Phat first sketched out the design on paper and then an outline on the wood. His ingenuity and meticulousness came to the fore in chiselling wooden blocks into the desired shape. The final step in the process was colouring the mascots.
Completing the collection took Phat and his associates about two months of hard work.
The sao la statues make ideal souvenirs for tourists. Imbued with Vietnamese folklore, the statues are a way for the Phat to celebrate the regional sports events.
The 39-year-old artist uses natural materials such as jackfruit wood, laterite, and seashells found in his hometown to create various works of art.
This collection was recently displayed along with many of his other works at the Hanoi Tourism Gift Festival, to welcome SEA Games 31./.
