An exhibition in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, showcasing Bat Trang ceramic art, which depicts the fusion of Vietnamese and Italian culture, drew a large crowd on the first day of its opening last weekend.

The exhibition, titled 'The Bat Trang Ceramic Boots - An Italian Inspiration,' opened last Saturday at Casa Italia, located at 18 Le Phung Hieu in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.

The opening was attended by Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro, as well as numerous art enthusiasts and other well-known artists.

According to Ambassador Antonio Alessandro, the complete collection of 12 Bat Trang ceramic boots created by late People's Artist Vu Thang will be a link between Vietnamese and Italian art.

"The 12 ceramic boots are an invaluable legacy of contemporary Vietnamese art, inspired by Italian fashion," Ambassador Alessandro explained.

"I believe this collection was inspired by the shape of Italy, which is referred to as the boot-shaped country.

“Despite their geographic distance, Italian fashion and Vietnamese art have a lot in common.

"That is the elegant style of Italian fashion intertwined with the exquisiteness of Vietnamese handicraft.

"Simultaneously, Italian fashion and Vietnamese handicraft are closely linked to each country's tradition and cultural heritage."

Ambassador Alessandro expressed hope that international visitors would have the opportunity to admire Vietnamese craft villages in addition to visiting exhibitions at Casa Italia.

The diplomat and the director of the Bat Trang Museum aim to bring this exhibition to Rome, Italy, as part of the city's bid to host the 2030 World Expo.

Phuong Trang, a 25-year-old visitor from the south-central province of Binh Dinh, said that the exhibition features eye-catching and colorful artworks.

"I had a great time coming here," Trang remarked

"These ceramic boots are extremely intricate and were meticulously made, requiring a high level of technique due to the numerous small details and glossy glaze layer."

Painter Le Ngoc Han, a former lecturer at the Hanoi University of Industrial Fine Arts and a long-time friend of late artist Thang, shared that the exhibit has significant cultural value.

"From the motifs, textures, and dynamic movements, each pattern conveys the Vietnamese spirit," Han observed.

“Each pair of ceramic boots requires advanced technique from height to curvature, for in the art of ceramics, regardless of how talented the artists are, they must still rely on the will of Prometheus, Greek mythology's god of fire."

The 12 ceramic boots feature contemporary art with unique shapes, according to Vu Khanh Tung, director of the Bat Trang Museum and son of late artist Thang.

"I wanted to bring these boots to the public's attention because they are masterpieces and the beginning of the Bat Trang Museum's future plans," Tung expounded.

"There are artworks that my father has kept for decades and, if asked, he would not sell them but would rather preserve them for the museum."

The exhibition is officially open to visitors daily from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm until May 3.

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