Materials and Practice -

Materials and Practice

Bui Huu Hung’s practice reflects a long-term engagement with lacquer as his primary medium. For nearly five decades, his work has developed through sustained research, technical experimentation, and close attention to the cultural and historical contexts of Vietnamese lacquer. While grounded in an ancestral practice, his approach remains open to renewal, which allows lacquer to serve as a vehicle for exploration and development

Bui Huu Hung, Emperor Thành Thái. Lacquer on canvas, 163 x 507 cm. © Bui Huu Hung Foundation.

Bui Huu Hung working with the thick pouring method (kỹ thuật đổ răn dày). © Bui Huu Hung Foundation.

For Bui Huu Hung, lacquer is not merely a medium but a lifetime of research. Trained in the tradition of Vietnamese native lacquer, sơn ta, specifically from the region of Phu Tho, he has spent nearly five decades expanding its technical possibilities. Although lacquer remains central to his practice, he is not confined to a single technique or aesthetic. Instead, it reflects a sustained research into material and history, bridging the space between tradition and experimentation.

Vietnamese native lacquer is a complex, living material harvested from the sap of lacquer trees. Its slow curing process, rich surface depth, and deep finish have long made lacquer both revered and technically demanding. In response, Bui Huu Hung treats the medium with curiosity and respect, and approaches it as archival material for ongoing research.

Lacquer being put back into protective storage in the studio. © Bui Huu Hung Foundation

Bui Huu Hung, Unquite Sea, 1978. Lacquer on canvas, 79.5 x 118 cm. © Bui Huu Hung Foundation.

Lacquer on canvas became a sustained field of investigation and a testament to Bui Huu Hung’s willingness to confront technical challenges. Works such as Unquiet Sea (1978) established an early foundation for this research, which he revisited decades later with renewed focus. Complex pigment mixtures, powdered minerals, embedded antique objects, and the incorporation of organic and industrial materials such as soil or cement, demonstrate the adaptability of a lacquer creation under his hand.

From early in his career, he experimented with lacquer across a range of supports, including paper, wood, and canvas. Through ongoing research, he sought to adapt the medium and expand its potential. This research is guided by a broader ambition: to position lacquer as a medium attractive to painters beyond its traditional contexts, and affirm its expressive range and artistic value in contemporary practice.

Bui Huu Hung, Étude on the Techniques of Jean Dunand, 2016 – 2024. Lacquer on wood, 211 x 211 cm. © Bui Huu Hung Foundation.

Bui Huu Hung, Eve, 2022. Phú Thọ lacquer, clay powder, wood powder, ochre pigment, cinnabar powder, gold powder, silver powder, gold leaf, silver leaf, coarse burlap on wood, 211 x 211 cm. © Bui Huu Hung Foundation.