Vietnamese soul hidden in 'time masks'

Through the ups and downs of history, Hoi An still has moss-covered roofs with yellow painted walls and wooden doors with mysterious eyes above. And, in a special ancient house, hundreds of papier-mâché masks have created a unique cultural space for the heritage city of Hoi An. This is where artist Bui Quy Phong creates and introduces papier-mâché masks drawn by himself. He has spent decades making masks through many stages from plaster or cement, pasting papier-mâché, whitewashing, drying, drawing, coloring... The most difficult thing is to breathe life into each mask through each stroke so that it is both vivid and clearly represents the value of Vietnamese folk art and culture.

Among the tens of thousands of masks that artisan Bui Quy Phong has made with many themes such as children's masks, ancient opera masks, and modern masks, he most enjoys painting masks that are typical of the art of hát bội (tuồng). Each of these handmade masks has its own story and soul. He calls them "time masks" because he explains that when looking at them, we can see layers of cultural meaning bearing the mark of time of the nation.

Artisan Bui Quy Phong always feels proud when papier-mâché masks are increasingly known to domestic and international tourists visiting Hoi An. For him, this is an opportunity to promote Vietnamese culture.

Heritage Magazine