THUA THIEN – HUE – Truc is just an art form that uses traditional manual methods to turn sheets of paper into works from the moment they are born.

Painter Phan Hai Bang (who holds an umbrella) is a lecturer at Hue University of Arts. In 2011, he and his colleagues successfully researched the method of making handmade paper from straw, bamboo, sugarcane, banana, leaves, grass… From that paper material, the artist began to apply it to his creations. visual arts and applied arts.

“Truc is only built on the foundation of traditional paper-making craft combined with the principles of visual arts and modern graphic techniques,” said artist Bang. Truc Chi is a paper product by itself, when leaving the paper frame, it becomes a work of art.

“We strive to make a paper more capable of escaping its status as a background for other works to become an independent work,” said painter Hai Bang.

From the raw materials of trees and natural grass, artist Bang processed according to the method of manual paper making: washed, soaked in lime water, crushed, and cooked into pulp. After that, the pulp is mixed into the water tank and then used to smooth the pulp layer to create a base paper layer.

This material is 100% natural, so it is environmentally friendly.

To start creating a work of Truc Chi paintings, the artist must first come up with ideas and create images.

The artist creates a model that is placed on the base paper while it is still wet. The Truc Chi artifact method uses water pressure to peel off the pulp layer by layer according to the graphic principle. The faucet acts as a “paint brush” for the artist to create thick and thin effects on the paper, corresponding to the light and dark color system in the light.

“This represents his own creation, called Truc Chi graphics,” explained artist Bang.

Truc Chi exploits many types of fiber materials, each with a different expression. Depending on the artist’s creativity, the appropriate type of fiber is used, showing a rich aesthetic.

The color difference of the pulps leads to color differences in the work. Young bamboo fiber after treatment gives a bright color, old bamboo will have a more yellow color. Painter Truc Chi applies and flexibly combines fibers and powders to create color effects. In the process of using water pressure to separate each layer of pulp, the fibers will interact to help braid and stick together completely without using glue.

The image of a girl in a painting by author Tran Thi Le Thin, an associate of artist Bang, used straw, duckweed, bamboo and especially banana fiber to make her hair. The work was made in about three days.

Truc Chi art brings two effects to the same work. Surface effect: light shining from the outside into the picture shows that thick areas are bright, dark areas are dark.

Transparency effect: the light coming back from the inside shows that thick areas are dark, thin areas are brighter.

Currently, Truc Chi’s research project on making Paper Art – Art paper has been identified as an art material with the name Truc Chi Graphics – Trucchigraphy.

Over the past 10 years, artist Bang and his associates have gradually built Truc Chi into new Vietnamese art.

Currently, Truc Chi has a creative space called Truc Chi Garden in Hue city with dozens of young artists participating. Many exhibitions and workshops are held at home and abroad to introduce this art to the community.

Photo: Diep Phan – Truc Chi Garden/ Follow (vnexpress)