Gen Z man in Da Nang breathes new life into Vietnamese culture through contemporary art
DNO - Among today’s Gen Z creatives, Tran Duy Hai, a former student of the Da Nang University of Architecture, has chosen to renew Vietnamese culture in a lively, youthful and interactive way through illustrations, artbooks, games and toy models.
Hai's passion for drawing began when he was a child. As he grew older, Hai chose to study graphic design as a way to both live creatively and gain a solid foundation in visual arts.
From his love for painting, Hai realized that art can bridge past and present. "In an era where technology covers all fields, I believe Vietnamese culture has an opportunity to step out into the world through digital platforms" he shared.
Traditional craft village culture is the first topic that marks Hai's choice when entering the creative world imbued with the Vietnamese spirit.
His magazine design project takes viewers on a journey through traditional craft villages such as Van Phuc, Thanh Oai, Xuan La, Thach Xa and Thuy Xuan where each stitch, weave and shade of bamboo or blossoms reflects generations of inherited craftsmanship.
Based on that foundation, the young artist continues to delve deeper into spiritual life with his artbook "Dao Luong Nuoc Viet". While the craft-village magazine records the rhythms of daily labor, this book opens up the world of folk beliefs - a layer of culture that has been deposited alongside the nation's history.
The 23-year-old artist depicts unique forms of belief such as ancestor worship, Mother Goddess worship, Tiger worship, Four Immortals, and legendary figures like Chu Dong Tu and Phu Dong Thien Vuong.
Each page of the book is a "piece" of culture that is both solemn and familiar, expressed through soft strokes and a modern color palette. This helps young readers easily access the treasure trove of national beliefs.
Beyond illustration, Hai brings Vietnamese culture into an interactive space with his game project called "Thuy Dinh Dai Chien" inspired by the art of water puppetry.
In the game, familiar characters such as Teu, Thuy Dia Lao, Ba Truc or Thi Mau transform into "heroes" performing on the shimmering water stage, bringing a new and familiar experience.
This is how Hai brings water puppetry out of the traditional stage to get closer to younger audiences.
From the game, he has developed a line of Teu art toys. These toy models evolve from 2D sketches into 3D models, printed with resin and finished through multiple stages - alcohol washing, UV drying, sanding, and painting.
In addition to the aforementioned projects, Hai also owns many illustrations imbued with the Vietnamese spirit, such as Khuc Ty Ba, and Rock horse paper.
Despite exploring a wide range of creative themes, for Hai, Vietnamese culture is always his most powerful source of inspiration.
“I always put my heart into each artwork. I hope viewers can see the diverse beauty of Vietnamese culture conveyed in every stroke” he said.