The Colors of Silk in Vietnamese Culture - A Meaningful Workshop with Distinguished Teacher and Artist Kim Bach

With the motto of learning through experience, on the morning of May 10, 2025, the Faculty of Arts & Design at Van Lang University launched the workshop "Timeless Silk Colors." This event served as an opportunity to reflect on the history of silk painting and to retrace the creative journey of Distinguished Teacher and Artist Le Thi Kim Bach, who has dedicated many years to the art of silk painting.

Distinguished Teacher and Artist Le Thi Kim Bach is a prominent figure in modern Vietnamese fine arts, especially in the genre of silk painting. During the war, when oil paints were scarce, silk became a primary medium for artistic creation. After retiring and settling in Ho Chi Minh City, Artist Kim Bach continued her creative work, taught figure drawing as a guest lecturer, and actively participated in artistic activities such as solo and group exhibitions and guiding silk painting practice.

Silk painting is a unique material in Vietnamese fine arts. Unlike other mediums that are often named after colors, silk painting is named after its base material. Artists may use various pigments such as gouache, watercolor, Chinese ink, tempera, or lacquer, but the essence of silk painting lies in preserving the transparency, ethereal softness, and poetic quality of the silk base. Therefore, silk painters must master precise and confident brushwork to highlight the gentle and refined beauty of the medium.

The history of Vietnamese silk painting is marked by bold and innovative individuals. Since the 1930s, Nguyen Phan Chanh - a pioneer of modern silk painting - went against the oil painting trend to stay loyal to silk, producing traditional-themed works such as Choi O An Quan and Hau Dong. During the resistance war, students from the Vietnam University of Fine Arts (1950 - 1954) also practiced silk painting, though few pursued it long-term. Later, from 1957 to 1961, artists from 1950 - 1957 classes, including notable figures like Nguyen Thu and Vu Giang Huong, continued to develop silk painting and enriched its expressive language. These artists became “pillars” who shaped the style and elevated the position of silk painting in Vietnamese fine arts.

As a former student of Distinguished Teacher and Artist Le Thi Kim Bach, Phan Quan Dung expressed his heartfelt emotions upon seeing his respected mentor again. For him, her silk paintings stand out not only for their solid technique and decisive strokes but also for their deep emotional resonance - where each layer of color seems to be infused into the silk fibers, soft yet profound. More than just a practical session, he saw this workshop as a precious opportunity for the younger generation to connect with the true spirit of art and for experienced artists to pass on the flame of passion through persistence and love for the craft.

In the workshop, she shared her personal techniques and secrets for working with silk, emphasizing that the ability to perceive and design composition on silk is key to achieving aesthetic value. She also stressed the importance of properly stretching the silk and applying a thin layer of glue - both essential steps in creating high-quality silk artworks.

Artist Kim Bach meticulously demonstrated the preparation process for silk painting, starting with washing the silk in hot water, gently squeezing it, and then rinsing it in cold water to remove the glue coating. Afterward, the silk was stretched flat on a frame, ready for the creative process.

Artist Kim Bach personally guided and corrected each brushstroke on the silk paintings created by the lecturers. In addition to listening to theory, participants had the chance to practice on the spot, transforming the event into a vibrant “creative camp” where knowledge and experience were exchanged in a direct and impactful way.

News: Duc Phap
Photos: Duc Anh