BUI KET: WHEN YOUNG ARTISTS CHERISH THE BEAUTY OF MEMORIES
Bui Ket may be a relatively new name in the Vietnamese lacquer painting industry. Born in 1983, he spent his childhood when the country began to enter a period of innovation with big changes. Many traditional village images gradually recede, giving way to modernity from the outside. But for children of the 8x era, this memory is deeply embedded in everyone’s hearts. Bui Ket simply used his artistic talent to recreate these memory fragments on lacquer panels.
Choosing lacquer material as an artistic bridge in the works is an extremely smart choice of Bui Ket. Since he was an art student at the Vietnam University of Fine Arts, he has constantly researched how to use lacquer on everyday topics such as scenes of rural people or old scenes, a kitchen corner, or a three-room, two-wing house.
Lacquer, with a history of nearly 100 years utilizing natural Vietnamese materials, is the perfect catalyst to help enhance the beauty of village culture. Not overly colorful but full of elegant sophistication, lacquer covers Bui Ket’s works with a classic charm. Whether standing in a museum in the middle of the capital or in a luxurious gallery, we can feel the kitchen smoke lurking in the space, lingering with the smell of wood on the small shed in the middle of the house. The lacquer technique painstakingly honed by Bui Ket has helped the artist strongly awaken each of the viewer’s senses.
For many audiences, especially those from the North, Bui Ket’s paintings are a ticket back to childhood. Each ceramic bowl neatly arranged on the cupboard, a floral-printed thermos placed next to a crackling radio, or a flickering fire in which every Tet holiday, dozing over a pot of banh chung, are scenes that nurture the innocent soul of many children.
After Doi Moi, life began to modernize, and children gradually grew up and plunged into the rhythm of life. The simple house with a small, narrow kitchen corner fell into oblivion, giving way to sparkling city lights and buildings that never sleep. Stuck in the cycle of life, many times we just want to escape to our carefree childhood. In such tiring times, Bui Ket’s paintings are a simple but effective medicine, soothing the calloused souls of “adults.”
Not only does it bring nostalgia, but Bui Ket’s works are also a gateway to introduce simple rural culture to young people. Many elders complain about the “loss of roots” of children raised in greenhouses when they do not know how to appreciate the memories of their ancestors. As a young artist, Bui Ket cherished the dream of blowing away the dust surrounding these old memories, polishing them with lacquer, and handing them to future generations. No matter where you are, preserving ancestors’ stories will always be the source of growth for every Vietnamese child.
Although many artists have used lacquer to depict images of rural life, Bui Ket still finds his own voice through skillful lines, soft composition, and clever use of color. More than a decade into the painting scene, Bui Ket is still full of youth and love to continue turning the warm memories of his father into peaceful healing amidst the hustle and bustle of life. Art lovers will definitely receive more surprises when following Bui Ket’s upcoming creative journey in 2024.
