Do’s bamboo artworks

Huynh Phuong Do is living and working in Hoi A city (Quang Nam province). He used to be a skilled woodcarver in Kim Bong carpentry village when he was young.

Do started his bamboo stump sculpturing in 1999. Since then, he has made a lot of fine-art works of bamboo stumps, several of which are masterpieces.

This is the reason why he has the nickname “Bamboo Do” in the sculpturing circle. Do is considered the “father” and pioneer of bamboo sculpture. He breathes life into seemingly lifeless bamboo stumps and turns them into aesthetically pleasing handicraft sculptures.

In the programme “Hoi An Cultural Nuances” at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi Capital, Huynh Phuong Do’s sculptural performances with bamboo stumps were extremely attractive to visitors.

Artisan Huynh Phuong Do can turn a dry, rough bamboo stump into a fine-art work in a short time.

The statues can appear in different postures, including standing, sitting, and kneeling. The faces of the sculptures also reveal all kinds of emotions, such as happiness, anger, love, and hate.

According to Huynh Phuong Do, he always puts his heart and soul into sculpturing, so each work is a different, unique portrait, describing what he is experienced in and feels about the character.

Each bamboo stump has a different shape and size. So, it is necessary to adjust each sculpted and chiselled line in order to have a satisfactory work expressing the spirit of a certain character. He usually takes advantage of the bamboo roots to make the beards of the statues lively.

Huynh Phuong Do can turn bamboo stumps into aesthetically lively sculptures in just one or two hours.

To create a good fine-art work of bamboo, it is necessary to carry out a lot of complicated steps.

After bamboo stumps are dug up, they must be treated and preserved by soaking in mud for about 9 months. Then they are cleaned and protected from termites by being dried in the sun for about 10 days.

When making a sculpture of bamboo stump, the artisan has to understand the character to highlight his/her charisma and unique characteristics. Mr. Do usually chooses Buddhas and Gods in Vietnamese culture for his sculpturing.

Each fine-art work made of bamboo stump has a different price depending on its sophistication and size.

Using his skillful hands and enthusiasm, over the past decades, Huynh Phuong Do has turned thousands of inanimate bamboo stumps into valuable fine-art works.

(Source: suckhoedoisong.vn)