Under the project, Vietnamese and Japanese artists will be able to meet and exchange knowledge of their crafts. —  Photo baoquocte.vn

HÀ NỘI —  A project has been launched to foster connections between artists of Việt Nam's lacquer craft sơn mài and wajima-nuri, one of Japan's oldest and most distinguished lacquerware traditions.

Through research, artistic creation, exhibitions and educational activities, the Việt Nam - Japan Lacquer Art Road project aims to establish a long-term platform for collaboration between the two traditions.

The project seeks to showcase the two parallel craft heritages while creating a space for dialogue among artists, artisans, researchers and communities from both countries.

Under the project, participants will be able to exchange knowledge, practical expertise and new approaches to lacquer as a medium within the context of contemporary art.

The project is run jointly by Hanoi Grapevine and Japan's Taki Corporation, and aims to help preserve traditional knowledge while expanding creative opportunities for the next generation of artists and artisans.

This also marks Taki's first official cultural exchange programme with an overseas partner, according to Uchiyama Ken, executive director of the corporation's IDEAL Company.

"We hope the dialogue between the lacquer traditions of Việt Nam and Japan will become a bridge carrying craftsmanship and aesthetic values to future generations,” Uchiyama said.

Việt Nam and Japan both boast lacquer traditions that date back centuries, with each country developing its own distinctive materials, techniques and aesthetic language.

Yet both face similar challenges, including the decline of traditional apprenticeship systems, shifting consumer markets and the need to find new forms of expression for traditional craftsmanship.

Academic collaboration will be another key component, with joint research on the transmission of traditional knowledge, co-authored scholarly publications and presentations at the Japan Society for the Science of Design.

Educational programmes will include initiatives for university students, partnerships with higher education institutions and mentoring opportunities for emerging artists and artisans.

The project will feature a wide range of activities, such as exchanges between artists and artisans through studio visits, creative residencies, technical workshops and professional dialogues.

Its first phase will begin in September with a residency of three Vietnamese artists –Trương Hoàng Hải, Đinh Công Đạt and Trần Thảo Miên – in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.

They will work alongside local artisans, participate in technical workshops and join professional discussions.

In November, the project is scheduled to participate in the 2026 Hà Nội Creative Design Festival, showcasing works and products created through the collaboration between Vietnamese and Japanese artists alongside an exhibition of wajima lacquerware. — VNS