Say Xua – Preserving Culture Through Bamboo Canvas
(08/2024 – Present | Head of Art Design)

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Mathematics helps me see the world through logic, but art allows me to feel it with my heart.

Though I grew up in a modern city, I’ve always been drawn to the earthy colors of Vietnam’s traditional craft villages — where artisans turn bamboo and paint into living stories of culture.

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In August 2024, I joined Say Xua, a creative club dedicated to preserving Vietnam’s heritage through bamboo canvas art, and later became its Head of Art Design. Starting from rough bamboo blinds, my team and I created 12 paintings themed “Vietnamese Folk Games”, blending modern techniques with traditional motifs like Ô ăn quan, kéo co, and thả diều. I personally designed layouts, color palettes, and brush details — each piece taking weeks of patient work and heartfelt dedication.

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Every two months, I led field trips to four craft villages near Hanoi, where we interviewed 12 veteran artisans and learned to mix pigments, treat bamboo, and tell stories through form. These experiences inspired over 40 media posts that reached more than 1,000 viewers each — small yet meaningful steps in cultural preservation.

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Our journey culminated in the “Sac Mau Gieo Mam” exhibition at Aqua Art Gallery, Hanoi, where all 12 bamboo paintings were displayed to over 1,000 visitors and auctioned to raise 20,000,000 VND for underprivileged children’s art education.

That day, as the final painting found its home, I realized —
“Art is not only to be seen — it is to heal.”

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Through bamboo, color, and light, I learned that art can bridge the past and present, city and countryside, and beauty with compassion. Say Xua became more than a club — it became my way to honor Vietnam’s soul, one brushstroke at a time.