Launching Hue tuong mask exhibition space

Visitors visited the Hue tuong mask exhibition space

250 masks in the colorful tuong mask collection (with the size of 17cm x 22cm) and two larger masks (with the size of 1m x 1.5m) are on display at the Hue tuong mask exhibition space (located behind the Duyet Thi Duong Theater). These masks were meticulously crafted by artists from Hue Traditional Royal Art Theater. Notably, the two character models of Dong Kim Lan and Khuong Linh Ta from the classic plays Son Hau and Tam Nu Do Vuong were exquisitely and impressively recreated, bringing a vivid and authentic experience of royal theater art.

All of this have been curated into an attractive exhibition space. This is not only a place to admire art, but also an opportunity for the public and visitors to immerse themselves in the  long-standing traditional cultural values of Hue. 

Artists performed an excerpt themed “Kim Lan Passing the Pass” from the Son Hau tuong play

The “Restoring, training and teaching Hue tuong mask painting art” project was launched by Hue Monuments Conservation Center in 2023 with funding from the Vingroup Innovation Fund (VinIF). The project aims to train and teach Hue tuong mask painting techniques to artists and actors, in order to preserve and promote this traditional art form that is at risk of fading and being lost.

During the implementation process, trainees learned the sequence of mask painting, color mixing, the meanings of patterns and colors, and practiced painting on paper masks and human faces. As a result, the project completed 330 products, exceeding the initial target of 300 products.

After the course, these products were displayed at Duyet Thi Duong Theater, creating a space for the public to visit and learn about Hue tuong art. Following the success of the above project, Hue Monuments Conservation Center has proposed to the VinIF for continued support to expand the project's scale, increasing the number of masks on display to 20 models, with 250 masks in a second space behind the Duyet Thi Duong Theater, contributing to the revival and development of Hue's traditional cultural and artistic values.