{"id":12679,"date":"2026-08-04T15:15:24","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T08:15:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/curio.vn\/?p=12679"},"modified":"2026-08-04T17:53:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T10:53:00","slug":"artist-nguyen-xuan-luc-reimagining-lacquer-and-mother-of-pearl-in-contemporary-vietnamese-lacquer-painting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/curio.vn\/en\/events\/artists\/artist-nguyen-xuan-luc-reimagining-lacquer-and-mother-of-pearl-in-contemporary-vietnamese-lacquer-painting\/","title":{"rendered":"Artist Nguy\u1ec5n Xu\u00e2n L\u1ee5c – Reimagining Lacquer and Mother-of-Pearl in Contemporary Vietnamese Lacquer Painting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lacquer and mother-of-pearl inlay are two traditional Vietnamese crafts with histories spanning more than a thousand years. One is celebrated for its depth and quiet richness; the other for the iridescent beauty of shells and nacre. While these materials have long been combined in decorative arts, transforming them into a unified visual language for fine art remains a rare and challenging pursuit. Nguy\u1ec5n Xu\u00e2n L\u1ee5c is among the few contemporary artists dedicated to exploring this possibility.<\/p>\n

Born in Chu\u00f4n Ng\u1ecd, a village renowned for its centuries-old mother-of-pearl inlay tradition in Ph\u00fa Xuy\u00ean, Hanoi, Nguy\u1ec5n Xu\u00e2n L\u1ee5c mastered inlay techniques from an early age before formally studying lacquer painting. His dual knowledge of both crafts has enabled him to recognize creative possibilities that few artists have explored\u2014elevating mother-of-pearl inlay beyond its decorative function to become an expressive medium in its own right.<\/p>\n

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The brilliance of nacre is naturally luminous and visually striking, often associated more with decorative craftsmanship than with fine art. Rather than allowing its radiance to dominate the surface, Nguy\u1ec5n Xu\u00e2n L\u1ee5c employs the material with restraint, integrating it into the layered depth of traditional Vietnamese lacquer.<\/p>\n

Across his major bodies of work\u2014from Dust and Lacquer to his most recent exhibition, Beneath the Layers of Time\u2014mother-of-pearl appears as delicate fragments, shimmering particles, and finely incised geometric forms. The ethereal blues of abalone and the iridescent glow of nacre are no longer merely ornamental; they become integral elements of the painting’s visual structure, evoking distant stars suspended within the profound depths of lacquer. The lacquer softens the brilliance of the inlay, while the inlay introduces new dimensions of light, rhythm, and spatial complexity.<\/p>\n