Artist Do Duc Khai and Traditional Paint Materials

In Vietnam, the painting profession has a history of thousands of years, but shaped lacquer has been established for less than a century. With its uniqueness in shaping methods, this material quickly became a typical artistic value of Vietnam and was respected by the world. After the Doi Moi period, despite the opportunity to open up to many different types of art, there are still many artists who still maintain the traditional lacquer painting style, typically Do Duc Khai.

The main themes in Do Duc Khai’s works are mainly labor images, historical images, especially industrial images during the period of innovation transition. Although using traditional materials, Do Duc Khai absolutely does not follow the beaten path but applies visual language and new artistic concepts in his paintings. The industrial theme is quite an interesting topic, but if not exploited properly, it will not fully portray the spirit of labor or inspire viewers. Do Duc Khai is one of the artists who loves and exploits this topic very well.

Besides, he also has many works about nature, especially lotus flowers. Using traditional colors in lacquer paintings such as red, white, and yellow, Do Duc Khai plucks the freshest lotus flowers and places them in the frame. Completely different from usual works that convey the coolness of the lotus, Do Duc Khai creates a fierce contrast effect on the viewer: The white lotus stands out in the soft but red scene of June’s heat.

Read more: Nature in Nguyen Thi Hoai Thuong’s paintings

His works, whether labor work or lyrical landscapes, have a strong feeling with modern forms in every detail. While other artists seek to bring softness and gentleness into the space, Do Duc Khai chooses the perspective of the constantly changing and evolving pace of life. His creativity has no limits, even with the technically “restrictive” genre he chooses, lacquer painting. Do Duc Khai still seeks to explore the expressive power of our paint material while still preserving the criteria: Shiny, smooth, deep – the criteria of this traditional art.

 

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