Folk painting genres displayed at Temple of Literature

An exhibition going on at the Temple of Literature in Hanoi is offering visitors an insight into six renowned Vietnamese folk painting genres.
Folk painting genres displayed at Temple of Literature ảnh 1An artisan from Van Canh commune of Hoai Duc district, Hanoi, demonstrates the making of a Kim Hoang folk painting (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – An exhibition going on at theTemple of Literature in Hanoi is offering visitors an insight into six renownedVietnamese folk painting genres.

The event, which opened on October 24 and willrun through November 10, is showcasing 50 works of the folk painting genres ofKim Hoang and Hang Trong of Hanoi, Dong Ho of northern Bac Ninh province, Kinhand Goi vai of the southern region, and Sinh of central Thua Thien-Hueprovince.

It aims to help visitors understand more aboutthe values of each genre.

Opening the display, Director of the HanoiCeramics Museum Nguyen Thi Thu Hoa said folk paintings hold an importantposition in Vietnamese cultural heritage. With their special language, folkpaintings reflect the outlook on life of generations of people in all cornersof the country.

The exhibition also features 30 paintings and 27products created by Hanoi children. These exhibits were selected from more than300 entries in a competition based on Kim Hoang folk paintings this year.

At the opening ceremony, children also showedfashion designs inspired by Kim Hoang folk paintings.

Folk painting genres displayed at Temple of Literature ảnh 2An artisan instructs a boy to make a folk painting at the exhibition (Photo: VNA)

Kim Hoang is a folk painting genre in Hoai Ducdistrict, Hanoi, that reached its prime in the 18th and 19th centuries. Itmainly depicts the daily life of people in the northern lowland region.

Hang Trong, another genre in Hanoi, was firstknown as worship paintings. Later, its topics expanded to cover socialactivities like markets or dragon dance or famous stories like the Tale of Kieuand the classical drama of Son Hau.

Meanwhile, the Dong Ho genre of Bac Ninhprovince dates back to about the 16th – 17th centuries and developed until thefirst half of the 20th century. It mainly demonstrates the traditional socialand agricultural life of Vietnamese.

Kinh (glass) paintings are unique products ofsoutherners. Artisans draw on one side of a piece of glass, and the finishedwork is the one seen from the other side. This genre covers a range of topics,from worship paintings that feature ancestors, gods or the Buddha, greetingpaintings to those depicting landscapes.

Goi vai (wrapped in fabric) paintings came intoexistence in the late 20th century in the southern region. They mainly depicthumans, animals or landscapes raised with fabric or silk, giving them a vividlook.

Sinh paintings come from Sinh village in Huecity and are considered a symbol of local culture. This genre reflects folkbeliefs as well as the daily life of locals.-VNA
VNA

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