War Nearly Killed This Vietnamese Art. Meet One Family Keeping It Alive | Still Standing

[@ash_-_skyle]

I once heard a story of how this art came to be. There was a king who wanted a painting to decorate his castle. He sent a message to all of the artist in the country that he would reward them if they could paint for him. But there's a catch. The painting was supposed to be painted on fabric but not on paper. Many people tried but instead ruined the fabric. Soon after, no one was willing to try because it was impossible to paint on fabric. However, in a village somewhere(Dong Ho village), there's an artist who was persistence in try the new method. He tried painting with whatever he could find. He came up with an idea of applying the base coat(made out of crushed 'diep' seashells) on the fabric. Not only that it worked, it created a shiny background to work on. With his idea finalized, he went to the castle. As he was painting, he noticed there weren't any art tools. He then go rouge by utilizing what he had. He used his hands, leaves, branches and dipped them in paint. As a result, a simple yet beautiful and dynamic painting was made. The king was satisfied with his performance and rewarded him he hefty sum. With his reward, he went back to his village(Dong Ho village). He wanted to improve and popularised the new art. Thank you for reading this. I'm sorry if the sentences don't make any sense. I typed the story as as I remember so there might be wrong information or missed details. However, you still can get the gist of it(I guess).

[@K100-b3e]

Thanks!

[@taotzu1339]

I bet they could upgrade this process using a computer and an industrial printer that would allow them print on fabric. This would get designs done faster and give them better through put. The purist would probably scoff at the idea. However, wasn't this an technological innovation by that bright young artist that gave birth to this technology?

[@ash_-_skyle]

@@taotzu1339 Nice comment you have there. But you also have to consider many factors to backup your comment. In the old days, that's as much as they could do. It's better now as most thing were industrialized. As for the story, the fabrics used was how the story was told. They eventually changed to 'do paper'(giấy dó/a special type of paper) and still use it now. The artisans can do better with printers instead of carved wood blocks. However, it's not just about the printing process. It's more about how much one person is involve in the making, the materials that they use, the story that they tell.

[@theconversation.]

@@taotzu1339 traditional roots vs modern technology!

[@oneshotme]

🤣😂🤣 Yes I did LOL

[@TheViettan28]

I live nearby this village. Every year, I buy some for my family and for my international friends to support these artists. I am very proud of this.

[@The_Golem_78]

There are a lot of comments on here about people asking where to purchase these, and by your comment, it seems like you're the one to ask. ...so where can we buy them?

[@linhvu6536]

​@@The_Golem_78 i think it's hard unless you buy it on a visit to Vietnam. Nobody has established an international trade until now. I wish they will think about that in the near future because there might be more people from other countries who even show more interest than the local Vietnamese

[@v8in4u]

It could be a great initiative to share details on how to reach the business or where to buy this from, so we can continue to support this art.

[@junc2191]

They will only share the contact details if they are paid and sponsored.

[@neighbor9672]

Right? This is so cool. I'd love traditional art in my home. I'd love to learn more about this.

[@neighbor9672]

@@junc2191 really? Seems unnecessary right???? Like internet is free information.

[@Gutterrat69]

Literally every company that makes vids like this NEVER share the details of how to support them to the point where I believe they're just exploiting these creators for content

[@mastervz4806]

When I go to Vietnam I’ll pick some up for you.

[@ManhHungPham3003]

It could have been much nicer if they have had mentioned the papers being used, as it is an art form on its own. As in 0:04 you can easily notice that the paper's texture is somewhat different to our usual printing papers. The best type of papers they could use in Đông Hồ paintings is called "Giấy Điệp" (literally: Điệp-paper or seashell-paper), which is made of "Giấy Dó" (Dó-paper, a type of papers originated from Vietnam and is made from the bark of Rhamnoneuron trees) coated in a mixture of sticky-rice glue and seashell-starch (shells of a specific scallop called Mimachlamys, in Vietnamese they are called "Sò Điệp"). For the coating, they use a pine-leaf-broom to sweep the above mentioned mixture on the surface of the Dó-paper. The result is a sheet of Điệp-paper which possesses a charming white background with nice identical parallel rays of light coming from the remaining sparkling micro shell-particles. The Dó-papers alone could last up to 500 years, now the Điệp-papers last not only that long but they are even waterproof and glittering. Đông Hồ paintings can be made with either Dó-paper or Điệp-paper.

[@thetrison]

I'm Vietnamese. This art form is quite popular in our country. In schools, history classes make brief mentions of it, literature classes talk about its influence on our culture, and art classes use it as inspiration, etc. But, to be honest, I've always thought the trade was completely lost since the art form is so ancient... Until I clicked on this video. Thanks.

[@buddhimananayakkara7820]

It's so amazing to see how she put each block precisely by hand using just simple dots. Modern screen printers mess up the alignment frequently even using fixed mechanical arms. What an skill. God bless them!!

[@joeyw7325]

When you talk about a struggling business trying to save a lost art I really think you should include some contact information. As I'm writing this over 3000 people have watched this episode. I would think someone out of all those people would want to purchase a piece

[@Alex.T1]

that would be ideal but i feel that this channel is only interested in their own business not the people's, families or businesses they make their content from. I've seen many videos with no contact information sadly.

[@joeyw7325]

@@Alex.T1 I agree

[@hoangnhan011]

Looks like they deleted all of my comment which contains links lead to the business in this video. Don't know why they'd gone this far.

[@joeyw7325]

@@hoangnhan011 that's just wrong

[@L_Aster]

@@hoangnhan011 comments with links in them are usually flagged as spam, so they're automatically deleted. I wish they'd left information in the description, the art is beautiful.

[@SinhthoibtMai]

As a Vietnamese, thanks you for making the video. However, I have a comment that the video mention about Vietnamese war with French but using Chinese images at 5:55. Please using Vietnamese images which are very popular and easy to find. Thank you again for making the video.

[@yeltsakcir8468]

I think it is USSR footage

[@dazedneptune]

I hope the art will live on. I definitely want to buy one when I travel back to Vietnam someday.

[@worldwide_cruising]

*Can we all appreciate this true craftsmanship?*

[@PachetePockets]

I used to live in Vietnam for a couple of years. It is one of the most incredible cultures of anywhere in the world. I've traveled and lived all over the world and Vietnam has always been, and always will be, my favorite country.

[@vincentchan4777]

'folk art is rarely hung in modern homes today" I have one in my home and believe me every time someone new visits my house they admire it for a while... easily one of the most beautiful pieces of artwork I own.

[@abiramihariprasad4916]

Wow ....I can't believe am seeing this...because I still remember a painting from late grandfather home, me remember him saying that it was passes on to him from his late grandparents..said when there in Vietnam as refugees and kept that as a reminder and somehow got back to India after the war. After all these years am learning the story behind it...Feeling very Euphoria seeing many pieces of this ancient art! 💕

[@KateandBree]

Look at how beautiful these prints are. So beautiful.

[@randaya5854]

I actually got to do this in my school. It is definitely intensive, because you're talking about carving a block of wood with precision so that you can print it on the picture. Any mistake incur is fatal. Đông Hồ art is beautiful that the labor into making it is worth it. This family is not the only one doing it.

[@cliffwoodbury5319]

its a beautiful art and if i ever go to veitnam i will buy at least one

[@bakedpretzels1425]

Thank you for this episode. I was born in Saigon and left when I was younger. This is giving me a sight of history that I didn’t know of.

[@spootnik00]

I believe this family is from the Dong Ho Village in Song Ho Commune, Thuan Thanh District, Bac Ninh Province. Hopefully the art will survive this pandemic and tourist will return to Vietnam. I sure will be getting a few paintings.

[@denseone]

My nephews are Thai-Vietnamese, and it saddens me to know such a tangible part of there cultural inheritance is at risk of disappearing. I hope they are able to embrace it once they are old enough to understand.

[@moonyu189]

Omg I'm impressed with the translate, thank you guys promote our tradition.

[@marialinguist]

kì công lắm - this art is so detailed and is a famous national treasure but it's sad it's lower in demand. i want to buy it. we have to preserve it!!

[@watchdealer11]

Vietnamese art is criminally underrated. I have a Mai Trung Thu that I bought at auction in the 2000s and I wouldn't sell it for the world! 😁

[@ash_-_skyle]

How nice of you to say that.

[@yeltsakcir8468]

Wait, what is Mai Trung Thu? Im curious

[@ash_-_skyle]

@@yeltsakcir8468 Oh! I thought it was a piece. I had not been in Vietnam for quite a long time. I searched and his art was nice.

[@watchdealer11]

@@yeltsakcir8468 An artist

[@TheViettan28]

@@yeltsakcir8468 Mai Trung Thu is the artist's name. he is one of the most famous (internationally)

[@katedanis9075]

Such a beautiful authentic art. Thank you for sharing this!

[@Okayletsg0]

I am learning printmaking myself, and their work is so incredible, i hope to own some someday

[@dawsie]

I love to see the history and story behind what you record but to help these business you should also add a link of their site or even an address where people can actually wright to them to buy something to help save the history.

[@KC-ym6uk]

They should open a museum to showcase all of that beautiful art and history.

[@wilsoneenla4603]

Wow!! She applied the color layer by layer without any deviation

[@brindade2004]

Still standing is the best series.

[@willienixdorf2374]

Please! Keep this art alive!

[@Kimmaline]

I am a watercolor artist, and I think they could find a market in making essentially adult coloring books. I would certainly love to paint a few of those!

[@thinhe709]

Tự hào nghệ thuật Việt Nam 😊

[@muhamadfaizal2006]

🇨🇳👏

[@melhawk6284]

I wouldn't mind taking a Zoom lesson or several from these folks, as a carver myself! New styles and techniques for the ol mental "tool box" are always welcomed!

[@Krasnoye158]

They don’t even talk about the paper, which is how you can tell a real painting from a fake one. Really important point missing. In short, real Đông Hồ paper has sparkling from its sea shell content, and is not damaged by water. Also the painting is insusceptible to mold because of its material.

[@Rogerswoodworkx]

I love an respect this art work.. I love old traditional art work like this.. I'm a tattoo art lover and there's is just something bout this art I love

[@sandro5535]

I think there are more of these traditional arts in the developing parts than in the west. Poor areas especially with tourism looks to me like the highest chance for such tradition to live on.

[@QWERTY-gi9ke]

This is simply a magic thing

[@Su27Flankerwarthunder]

I'm a Vietnamese. I live in Ha Nam, Viet Nam. We also have some traditional village such as Thanh Ha embroidery village, making drum village in Duy Tien,...

[@craiganczelowitz7225]

While I greatly enjoy all of these Business Insider 'Still Standing' videos - why cant they assist the craftsmen they rare featuring and getting youtube revenue from by either including links where we can purchase/support these crafts -or- open a shop themselves to help sell these works

[@tessiepinkman]

Could anyone help me get in contact with these wonderful people so I can buy a few paintings and have them sent to Norway?

[@Krasnoye158]

They don’t have website, but sell it through vendors. Try searching maybe.

[@TheViettan28]

There are some stores in Hanoi selling authentic pieces by one of the artists mentioned in the video. They do have websites, but I never know because I live just 1 mile from this village.

[@Sjels17]

I hope it continues to exsist.

[@waveszoom11]

Can you please share contact details of Families who are still making Dong Ho painting? We want to buy from them.

[@andej8785]

I need that coloring book!!!

[@cachy7471]

I'm such appreciated to your hard work and those deeply- understand experiences to our idiosyncratic cultural and craftmanship. Dong Ho village owns a very specific position in Vietnamese cultural and it deserves more concentration, popularization of world. I was feared that someday and somehow, it will faint and totally disappear but i'm glad to see many people- both national and foreign are focusing to protect, reserve and puvblic it

[@rockyylima4476]

I wish I saw it earlier, I know a Vietnamese priest that went home to visit his family, I would've loved to bought a piece of art for my study room.

[@philandeswilliams1975]

💡What a shame that modern Vietnamese families are not supporting this cultural art.👈🏿 💡Every Vietnamese household should have AT LEAST ONE of these traditional paintings in their home.✅

[@yeltsakcir8468]

I don't like these pictures tbh, but I definitely agree that they should support this cultural

[@TheViettan28]

To be honest, most of the Vietnamese are recently rich enough to afford some cheap pieces of art. After the long wars, 2-3 generations have no notion of art. I live nearby this village, now the business is good enough to survive because people now more and more enjoy tradition and art.

[@sharonkaczorowski8690]

The carving of the blocks is also an art…

[@physics77guy]

hand used offset printing press used before the advent of offset printing press

[@mattheweanfeldman]

I wish I could buy one

[@nguyenviethung7714]

I LOVE MY COUNTRY VIETNAM

[@ash_-_skyle]

Me too!

[@huyquang4149]

I remember coloring these pictures in elementary school.

[@alparslankorkmaz2964]

Nice video.

[@ricanzombie5731]

I would buy 1 or 2

[@VwithNature]

Old is gold 🤷‍♂️👍

[@oneshotme]

Enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up

[@niksack]

Where to get this?

[@sadsader100yearsago9]

Incredible!

[@andyt3233]

Happy new year

[@xXxSkyViperxXx]

they should start a museum for the old prints and for preservation sake, then they can earn some also from a souvenir shop also selling those paintings

[@SpiritualBabe101]

I'm excited for you

[@seema861]

They can use Online Platforms for reaching out more customers and keep the art alive!

[@PeasantA10384]

I'm less interested on the paintings, but more interested on the carvings

[@HoaTruong-km9rk]

well, the carving is the painting so...

[@MP-cv6if]

I want that calendar At any cost

[@sarthakbande2250]

1:00 what is the background music and which instrument is played?

[@ArtSunYouTube]

Great traditional print art

[@Hakuhhhhh]

They could have open class session for children to experience, at the same time also gain some profit to survive.

[@Bhatakti_Hawas]

Its like Japanese woodblock painting eg. Hokusai paintings

[@ash_-_skyle]

But Japanese and Vietnamese arts are different in style and the type of ink used. Vietnamese artist use a certain colour scheme(the ones made of natural colorants) for this type of painting and the papers had to be prepped before printing. Japanese and Vietnamese art maybe similar in certain aspect like how they were made and their theme as being traditional art but they were not based of each other. Each of the art has their own uniqueness.

[@Bhatakti_Hawas]

@@ash_-_skyle thnx

[@sahishnuvarna2356]

Nice

[@time2livelife]

I can’t tell if the subtitles or the pronunciation of the artist name is wrong. EDIT: It’s definitely the pronunciation… A lot of non-Vietnamese people mispronounce Nguyen.

[@AntTonyLOLKID]

I think the best way is to have their kids utilise the online international market.

[@ainadena7318]

Do they sell these online?

[@melodyparra2960]

I like them it’s different

[@prabhushankar8520]

Good.

[@Amitdas-gk2it]

Interesting

[@gbt722]

👋 helllloooooo

[@auro1986]

everyone has met the advanced technology of digital drawing and printing that has given dongs in their hands

[@harambenights1051]

These dung paintings are so cool

[@IanZainea1990]

Did we seriously just overlook the fact the US spent nearly 2 decades waging a war in this country?

[@Renwoxing13]

Probably no need since they mentioned France . It should be widely known that a America’s war with Vietnam was just a continuation of the French - Vietnamese war. America was nothing more than a proxy for It France, or more succinctly - the *western Elite* !¡!

[@IanZainea1990]

@@Renwoxing13 or even more specifically: capitalists

[@johnshepherd6925]

Not one's going to mention that dude's mole hair!? That's wild!!! 😂🤣😂

[@HoaTruong-km9rk]

Vietnamese old man like to growing their mole hair like that. I don't know why, they look weird. But when i asked, they said it is a money hair, they believe it will keep them, lucky with money and shit.

[@Wabuh-Wabuh]

Reminds me of tshirt rinting

[@gaiusmarcus8]

What if all the old crafts feature here in insider form a guild?

[@sonitabun-l4s]

pls do cambodia agian pls my home country

[@आशीषसाहू-ख1ल]

In Europe, a stupid painting costs millions of Euros and here in Asia, Artists are struggling for their Art's survival.

[@nepalimana]

Vietnamese are responsible more for preserving their own heritage. Hope they will do pride in own culture.

[@CrimsonAlchemist]

Should sell it online so that foreigners can buy it from overseas

[@MariaCruz-eh1on]

Graças de donativos.

[@hidum5779]

India also has similar printing methods but for the clothing, especially saree

[@arthurmartins5495]

04:45 The original one is prettier tho

[@Thenoobestgirl]

They should start a museum for extra income

[@REDWHITEBLUEFULLTHRU]

MOLY MOLY MOLY MOLE!!!

[@daycmetrollingdeihatin5100]

I must apolagize in advance if this seems insensitive but Arent vietnamese dong hos famous for their art and thriving atm?

[@HoaTruong-km9rk]

what do you mean ?

[@user-ud9wk2pj1i]

I think the real culprit of the fall of this art is not many young Vietnamese households still buy this art. I learned about the art in middle school and saw it a few times in Tet markets, but never bought one to hang on the wall when I was younger. Now, I'm not living in Vietnam and regret not buying these. There are deco arts that use Dong Ho patterns, which is damaging the actual art. I saw some on the calendars but I doubt that the artisan printed those. The situation right now is like "I know about Dong Ho art, I know how it looks, but I will likely buy stuff that has the pattern and not the actual painting." I'm also from Southern Vietnam while the village is in the North, so the art is more likely to be more popular in Northern Vietnam

[@ottobergstrom9253]

It's basically a Vietnamese Ukiyo - e?

[@glendybeatriz8688]

they need a TikTok, they'll blow up!

[@thang97nguyen]

Genuine question: How does one apply to be a narrator for Insider? As a bilingual Vietnamese-English speaker, I’ve been cringing at the pronunciations of Vietnamese words and names across all their videos.

[@xrpfreak7881]

Funny how BI blames France for the loss of this fine craftsmanship, like the US going in there and rolling thunder carpet bombing everything for years had nothing to do with it either.

[@ash_-_skyle]

In Vietnam history, the French banned a lot of things. Also, it's hard preserving art and kept making them during war. Safety and survival always came first. And no one could bought art at that point either since everyone were equally poor. Suppose you are an artist who's broke. Would you sell your art supplies to live or would you keep them and starve.

[@TheViettan28]

1.5 mil Vietnamese people died of hunger in the 1940s thanks to French colonial. How one can care about art when they are desperate for food?

[@xrpfreak7881]

@@TheViettan28 Yes true, but the point is the video blames only the French. The US was decimating Vietnam throughout the 60s and 70s, destroying their land, their culture and killing millions. In fact, I can't even find an accurate count of how many Vietnamese killed in both the North and South. So you guys don't believe the US contributed at all to the destruction of this art form at all? Maybe I'm just mistaken?

[@user-ud9wk2pj1i]

@@xrpfreak7881 If my memory from my history class is correct, I think because France invaded first and the village was in the North of Vietnam while the US was more active in the Sounthern Vietnam. So, I would say France started it, and the US prolonged it.

[@curiouslymavismade]

Authenticity is at an all time low, now.

[@boowiebear]

Bummer that consumer tastes change and leave behind craftsman. Good they are adapting how they can to stay in business.

[@mohammadshamir3339]

😮

[@lknnmmnkj]

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[@AnotherOak]

its just blockprinting

[@marypatricia8779]

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[@Jack-ir8ok]

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[@karenrhonda6659]

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