Exhibition: The Bát Tràng Ceramic Boots. An Inspiration from Italy

10 Apr – 03 May 2022, 09 am – 08 pm
Casa Italia
18 Lê Phụng Hiểu, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội

From the organizer:

The Embassy of Italy in Hanoi and the Hon Dat Viet Bat Trang Art Museum (Bat Trang Museum) are delighted to present the art exhibition “The Bát Tràng Ceramic Boots. An Inspiration from Italy”.

On this special occasion, the full collection of 12 ceramic boots created by the late People’s Artisan Vu Thang, will be shown to the public for the first time (a partial showcase took place in the Dep Fashion Show in 2011). An invaluable legacy of contemporary Vietnamese art inspired by Italian fashion.

The powerful creativity, unique skills and delicate ceramic techniques of Artisan Vu Thang, one of only two People’s Artists of Bat Trang ceramic village, are exquisitely represented through the image of the boot embroiled with Vietnamese traditional motifs.

Talented craftsmanship from a 700-year-old Vietnamese village and the unique taste for beauty and style of Italy, the “boot-shaped country”, have much in common in spite of their geographical distance: they are both expressions of people’s creativity and skillfulness and are deeply connected to each country’s traditions and cultural heritage.

The exhibition therefore builds an artistic bridge between Vietnam and Italy: classical Vietnamese elements, such as ceramic motifs and enamel colors, blend with Italian elegance and style, thus making every ceramic work an extraordinary piece of art.

The Bat Trang Museum was established thanks to the enthusiasm and efforts of Artisan Vu Thang after nearly 50 years of work with pottery. Licensed by the Hanoi People’s Committee in early 2016. As the first non-public museum in Bat Trang pottery village, the museum owns hundreds of ancient ceramic artifacts of traditional Bat Trang pottery (from the XVIII-XIX centuries to the early 20th century), which were collected with great enthusiasm by the late Artisan. In addition, the museum also preserves many ceramic works made by the late People’s Artisan Vu Thang during his career, with many unique and rare designs, enamel colors, and structures harmoniously blending classical styles and contemporary.

On this occasion, the Museum will launch the website battrang.museum, a digital information platform about contemporary ceramic art in Vietnam in general, and Bat Trang traditional ceramic village, in particular. The website is developed by M—N Associates, an international award-winning branding & creative design agency.

The exhibition space is designed by sgnhA, the interior and architectural design office author of major art projects in HCMC & Hanoi. The setting represents the Bat Trang pottery kiln and the leaning tower of Pisa: a very special experience for art-lovers and a charming cross-over between Vietnam and Italy.

Casa Italia is a space for initiatives in the fields of culture, economy, trade and bilateral relations Italy-Viet Nam. It is managed by the Embassy of Italy in Hanoi. Casa Italia is available for activities related to Italian culture and is proud to host this beautiful exhibition.

“The Bát Tràng Ceramic Boots. An Inspiration from Italy” exhibition is done with with the sponsorship of Vingroup Innovation Foundation (VINIF) under the program for the preservation of historical and cultural values. It has also received great support from other sponsors, such as InterContinental Đà Nẵng Sun Peninsula Resort, LeapArt Embroidery Shop, Ziczac Architecture Joint Stock Company, sgnhA, M — N Associates and Ori Lighting.