Arts

Tran Nguyen Dan’s Woodcuttings

Woodcuttings  by Tran Nguyen Dan are the combination of traditional patterns and unique carving techniques of Vietnam in the early 20th century.
Beginning his painting career during wartime and the subsidised period, Tran Nguyen Dan has kept his habit of carving wooden blocks, sometimes even if he has to join several plates to form a big block of a desired size. He uses a kit of chisels with V-shaped blades to produce sharp carvings. Besides traditional carving techniques, he also applies some modern techniques to create diverse and beautiful carvings. It is his charming, humble and beautiful carvings that help his art garner much praise from art lovers. After carving on wooden plates, Tran Nguyen Dan prints the picture on poonah paper, giay diep (paper made with seashell powder), silk or fabric.

The hardest part in creating woodcuttings is to generate ideas in order to produce several pictures within a single topic. Tran Nguyen Dan often creates pictures of two topics: landscapes and labour and production activities. Viewers can feel the rhythm in his pictures. People and items depicted in these pictures seem to have smooth movements. The pictures also appear to represent the national soul.


The artist sketches on paper before carving on woodblocks. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP


Tran Nguyen Dan uses simple tools to create unique works.


Using carbon paper to print details on woodblocks.


Carving is the hardest and most time-consuming phase. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP


Black ink is rolled out on a completely carved woodblock.
Paper is then placed on top of the block before being rubbed. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP



Ink should be evenly rolled to avoid blur when printing on paper.


Tran Nguyen Dan rubs the paper with loofah to ensure clear details.


A completed work.



After more than 50 years of work, Tran Nguyen Dan is very popular in Vietnam’s woodcut circle.

Evaluating Tran Nguyen Dan’s works, researcher Nguyen Duc Hoa said that his pictures highlight the national soul in the layouts, contours, shapes and colours.

Tran Nguyen Dan said that he does not intend to keep his works to form a personal collection for himself. He wishes to send them to domestic and foreign collectors or art museums in order to promote the development of woodcutting in Vietnam.


Recently, more than 100 woodcuttings made by Tran Nguyen Dan between 1967 and 2015 have been collected by Nguyen Thi Thu Hoa and displayed at the exhibition “Carving - From Traditional to Modern”.


“Hanoi in My Eyes.”


“City of Red Flamboyant.”


“I love Hanoi.”


“A Red Dao Girl”. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP


“Spring in Quan ho Region.” Photo: Khanh Long/VNP


“Hoi An in My Eyes.”


“Riverside Town.”


“Quoc Tu Giam in Autumn.”


“Hoi An Japanese Bridge”. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP



In 2007, Tran Nguyen Dan was presented with the National Prize in Culture - Arts, phase II, for his five woodcuttings: “Nghe thuat Hang Trong” (Arts in Hang Trong), “Cham hoc cham lam” (Diligence), “Tro lai Tam Bac” (Back to Tam Bac), “Hoi den Hung” (Hung Kings Temple Festival) and “Thang Long - Dong Do - Hanoi”.

 
Story: Ngan Ha - Photos: Khanh Long
 
 
 

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