Vietnam is a country located in the Indochina peninsula in Southeast Asia. The arts and crafts that are created in Vietnam definitely are part of the Asian culture. Vietnamese arts and crafts range from paintings to laquerware. There are also the performing arts of Vietnam.
There are several types of painting the Vietnamese do. They work with silk canvas as a material to paint on. These can be wall hangings or canvases that can be framed. The silk is part of the picture not just painted over. The color of the silk is even part of the colors in these delicate paintings. The artists of these paintings have to be very careful when painting on silk. Unlike regular canvas silk does not forgive mistakes so the expertise needed to paint them is extensive that are why they are highly sought after.
Embroidery paintings are another type of painting done in Vietnam. In fact it has been done for longer than 700 years there. Instead of using paints to create a picture the picture is created with silk threads. Most Vietnamese embroidery paintings are from small rural villages not the big cities. Some families have been doing these types of paintings for years.
Young artists are creating marvelous oil paintings today in Vietnam. They beautifully depict life in Vietnam through various landscape scenes and still life’s. The colors are bright and vibrant. These are also done one at a time not factory turned out in mass quantities.
Lacquerware has a long history in Vietnam. After a detailed preparation process the piece is painted with a design along with adding seashells, eggshells, or mother of pearl. Then the piece is lacquered several times and after the last coat of lacquer it has wax applied and is polished. These pieces are definitely breathtaking.
Silk lanterns are made from wood, bamboo, and 100% silk. They are lovely to use as a decoration in the house or garden. The colors are bright and cheerful. Lanterns have long been used for lighting now they are also used for decorations.
Decorative masks are made using bamboo plus other materials. The artist takes the traditional theater look and transfers it to the masks. Expressions on the masks show a range of emotions from happy to almost scary.
The zither is a popular instrument in Vietnam. It is named dan bau. It has a bamboo body that is flat and an upright neck. A string runs the length of it. This instrument is unique to Vietnam. They also have a variety of other plucked string instruments. The musicians also play bow stringed, winds, and percussion type musical instruments.
As far as performing arts go the Vietnamese have their cheo or folk opera. This includes not only folk songs but also pantomime. The cheo can also include some acrobatics and dances. Other music besides folk songs maybe included. Cheo did get banned for a while but has been brought back.
