(VOVworld) – “Making paper masks, enjoying the Mid-Autumn Festival” is a project run by painter Trang Thanh Hien and students of the Vietnam University of Fine Arts. They have instructed children making traditional Vietnamese paper masks as a way to preserve and promote the cultural value of paper masks.

More than 300 children attended a recent get-together of the project “Making paper masks, enjoying the Mid-Autumn Festival” at the Museum of Fine Arts. They learned to strengthen cotton papers, use pen brushes, and paint their own masks. The masks of uncle Teu or the Earth Genie, which are popular figures in Vietnamese folklore, now have a fresh appearance through the children’s creation. They also learned about Vietnamese masks used in different cultural and religious events and masks of other countries and. Besides making masks, the organizers and children also talked about topics related to the masks to inspire their imagination. Several painters also joined the event and sold their masks to raise fund to rebuild Suoi Bau primary school in Phu Yen district, Son La province. Nguyen Kim Ngoc Diep took her 4-year old girl to the event: “The program teaching children making traditional paper masks is very interesting and meaningful because it’s for charitable purposes. I want my girl to play in this cultural environment.”

Painter Thanh Hien said in the past grandparents and parents often made folk toys including paper masks for their children. Because it took a lot of time and certain skills, a few people could make toys for their children. Craftsmen produced a large number of masks to sell. Painter Thanh Hien said: “This program’s purpose is working together to share sentiments. Urban children learn about paper masks and share their feelings with children at Suoi Bau primary school in Son La province. We teach children to make masks and encourage them to donate old books to make a library for children in Son La province.”

The project will be organized in other places before the Mid-Autumn Festival. Do Thu Huong, a project representative, said: “We plan to organize the next event at the Café Loca, 24 Ly Quoc Su street, and Hanoi Creative City, No1. Luong Yen road, Hanoi. We’ll add more activities to these events. At Café Loca, we’ll have a photo exhibition of painters from Gallery 39A and painter Duc Pham will paint mask on faces. At the Hanoi Creative City we’ll exhibit over 100 masks made at the previous 2 events.”

Program “Making Vietnamese paper masks, enjoying the Mid-Autumn Festival” has created a meaningful and fantastic playing ground for children at this year’s Mid-Autumn festival.