The Soul of Vietnamese Characters in Modern Spaces

In Vietnamese culture, the written word has always possessed a sacred power. We cherish the image of the Ông Đồ (the old scholar) giving letters during Tet, or the solemn calligraphy placed on ancestral altars. For generations, hanging a word in the home was never just decoration—it was a prayer for peace, luck, and prosperity.

Yet, as we move into modern high-rises and minimalist apartments, this tradition often gets left behind, replaced by generic English quotes or soul-less digital prints. This disconnect is what inspired my latest project, "Vietnamese Modern Character," and specifically my painting "Chào."

I chose to paint this by hand because our language has a unique visual rhythm. The diacritics—the acute, the grave, the hook, the tilde, and the dot—are like musical notes that make the text dance. I wanted to capture the energy (Khí) of those marks with a physical brushstroke, something a printer simply cannot replicate. It is my attempt to bring the spirit of the Ông Đồ into the 21st century, creating art that fits a contemporary aesthetic but still speaks deeply to our roots.

You can watch my full reflection on this process and the philosophy behind the work in the video below:

WATCH: Why I paint modern Vietnamese characters: the story of “Chào”