With urbanization rapidly taking place everywhere, the visual memories of village cultural spaces that are gradually disappearing are becoming more precious and rare, especially for those who love travelling, discovering and learning about Vietnam’s ancient culture.

The very familiar image of a banian tree, water wharf and communal house’s yard is no longer seen in many villages in Vietnam but lively reflected in paintings, particularly in Tran Lang’s.

“Ancient suburban Khuc Thuy Village”.

“Old house roofs”.

“Waiting water wharf”.

“Fishing boat”.

“Under rows of trees”.

“By the river”.

Entering into the painter’s showroom, visitors will see again the peaceful and quiet rural landscape with plain and industrious farmers in many paintings, such as “Under Rows of Trees” with simple houses and the daily activities of good-natured farmers or “Ancient Suburban Khuc Thuy Village” looming in the row of trees in the early morning.

Being a native of Van Canh Commune, Hoai Duc District, Hanoi, one of the “four famous areas” (Mo, La, Canh and Cot) of the land of hundreds of crafts in the North and being famous nationwide for Kim Hoang folk painting genre, Tran Lang is one of a few painters upholding the “flame of rural soul” imbued with the art of the Doai area.

Some say the famed folk painting genre has fallen into oblivion but its quintessence and value have been promoted in Tran Lang’s paintings. He does not use many blazing tones or eye-catching colours but dark colours with lacquer materials.

Tran Lang’s painting reward viewers with a look at villages of yesteryear.

Story: Hoai My