Three decades of preserving and renewing national lacquer paintings by Nguyen Quoc Huy

Still, you couldn’t entirely escape the spotlight when your works suddenly went viral on TikTok and lacquer forums?

I wasn’t even aware of TikTok until someone told me that my solo exhibition and paintings were garnering millions of views and being shared widely, overnight, on both TikTok and a Facebook forum dedicated to Vietnamese lacquer. I had always assumed my art appealed more to older audiences or fellow professionals. So yes, I was genuinely surprised and delighted to see such enthusiasm from young people. Their passion for lacquer was moving.

How would you describe the interest of Gen Y and Gen Z in lacquer painting, especially following your recent solo exhibition, Aurora, in 2024?

None of my previous exhibitions saw hundreds of young visitors, many from Gen Z, come each day and spend hours exploring the pieces. I sense that, in an increasingly globalised world, today’s youth are becoming more aware of their cultural roots and the traditional arts that shape our identity. There’s a renewed appreciation for folk heritage and artistic expressions that distinguish Vietnamese culture internationally.

Across many disciplines, architecture, music, fashion, there’s a rising movement to return to and reinterpret traditional culture. I believe this is more than a passing trend; it’s an organic evolution. In our efforts to redefine the contemporary Vietnamese aesthetic, traditional values continue to offer an endless wellspring of creative inspiration.

With its roots stretching back a thousand years, and a century of formal development, lacquer has long been considered Vietnam’s national painting medium, a remarkable cultural hallmark. That, I believe, is why it continues to captivate both young collectors at home and art lovers around the world.

In fact, dozens of lacquer exhibitions take place each year, yet to go viral and be embraced by hundreds of thousands overnight is something entirely new. Might this be due to the uniquely immersive lacquer world of Huy Son Mai?

From the moment I entered the Vietnam University of Fine Arts, I gave myself the stage name ‘Huy Lacquer’. It was my way of affirming the path I had chosen to follow. The greatest challenge for me lay in stepping out of the long shadow cast by earlier generations—finding a distinct voice, a signature touch that would define Huy Lacquer within the language of contemporary lacquer art. I knew I wouldn’t achieve anything new by simply retracing old footsteps. That’s why I dedicated nearly two decades to exploration and experimentation, forging techniques of my own and challenging long-held assumptions about lacquer.

Read more: Tilda Swinton reflects on four decades of experimental spirit—and why now is the time to ‘get real’

Could you share more about what it means to “break the limits of lacquer”? How do your techniques differ from those of previous generations?

From graduation in 1994 until 2005, I practised the block painting technique, just as my predecessors had done. I felt I had mastered traditional lacquer and was fortunate to receive both national and international recognition for it. But one idea continued to stir in me: we will never create something new if we continue along the same path, using the same methods.

Over the following decade, I began challenging traditional notions of lacquer. The first belief I questioned was that lacquer is best suited for decorative, flat-surfaced works. I wanted lacquer to be a medium for painting, capable of suggestion and depth. That conviction led me to move entirely from block painting to cut painting, which gave me greater freedom to express my artistic intentions.

Secondly, lacquer is known for bold contrast—gold, red, black, white. Instead of leaning into that, I wanted to explore its quieter potential, to discover a softness and subtlety of light that few had considered. There is a certain gentle beauty, airy and luminous, that I sought to reveal. Lastly, I set myself a stricter standard: every colour in my paintings would be metallic—gold, silver.

In tandem with this stylistic shift, I also spent a decade researching how to slow the oxidation of silver, so that the metal would retain its original lustre over time. Overcoming that challenge allowed me to depict clouds, mist and humidity with a fidelity never before achieved in lacquer.

By testing the boundaries of the medium, I carved out a personal path, a creative realm that now defines Huy Lacquer.

Many artists are drawn to landscapes, but your works feel altogether different—otherworldly, surreal, at once unfamiliar and intimate, like stepping into a dream. How did you create the “fairyland” now associated with Huy Lacquer?

When nature floods my senses, what I paint is no longer the physical scenery before me. It becomes a mirror reflecting my inner life—memories, emotions, visions. Sometimes it feels like fragments of a dream, or scenes glimpsed from some future time. As I connect with nature through consciousness rather than observation, I begin to feel something miraculous, the energy of that connection flowing quietly into the work itself.

You once said there isn’t a single square centimetre in your paintings that isn’t gold or silver. Is that why lacquer works tend to command higher prices than other art forms?

The value of an artwork reflects more than just its materials or size. What truly defines its price is the exclusivity and singularity of its artistic merit, as well as how the market views the artist. That said, what you've noted holds some truth. Lacquer has always been among the more expensive mediums, not only because of its rarity. True lacquer is a natural material that is increasingly scarce, but also due to the rising cost of metal leaf like gold and silver, which I use extensively.

However, creating a lacquer painting requires far more time and effort than most other mediums. Depending on the scale and complexity, a piece may take anywhere from six months to three years to complete. In return, lacquer is incredibly durable, with works lasting centuries. To admire a lacquer painting is to do more than enjoy an aesthetic experience; it's to understand the craftsmanship, patience and discipline embedded in its making.

Your journey with lacquer spans 33 years. Looking back, what has it been like for you?

It hasn’t been a winding road so much as a steep ascent. I often compare my relationship with lacquer to that of a lone mountain climber. There is only one direction: forward and upward. Every climber knows that all peaks are much the same, and yet they persist. Perhaps the goal is not just reaching the summit, but transcending one's own limitations along the way.

Have there been moments when you felt exhausted, disheartened, or tempted to give up the climb?

I’ve poured so much into this journey that turning back was never really an option. Of course, there were times when I struggled. I even took up Uber driving just to cover my living costs. It wasn’t easy. But despite everything, I never lost faith in my art. While driving, I kept reminding myself: my works would eventually find their audience, collectors would come to appreciate them. I had invested too much to compromise their value. If I needed extra income, I’d rather work harder elsewhere than lower the price of my paintings. In the end, that belief proved true.

Returning to Tatler’s April theme of “sustainability,” how do you interpret this idea as a lacquer artist?

First, I must affirm: traditional Vietnamese lacquer (son ta) is inherently sustainable. Why? Because every component in a lacquer piece is drawn from nature. I’ve always believed that materials born of the earth are most resilient when returned to it. They endure.

From an artistic viewpoint, sustainability lies in inheritance and continuity. Lacquer is not only Vietnam’s distinctive traditional painting medium but also a legacy material, steeped in cultural depth and artistic achievement. It stands as a testament to endurance. This sustainability becomes lasting when contemporary artists approach their practice with dedication and vision, and when collectors and art lovers nurture and respect lacquer as a national treasure.

Thank you for sharing your insights.

This article is adapted from the original publication in Tatler Vietnam, April 2025 edition

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