Nowadays, when manual turntables are gradually replaced by industrial machines, there is one person who still uses those outdated tools to make traditional ceramics. That person is artist Pham Anh Dao, the son of Bat Trang pottery village.
Artist Pham Anh Dao is a rustic, sincere person. He might be too simple in his way of thinking and living.
Every day, Mr. Dao is still forming various things from clay on his old turntable. He is like a lone traveler on this way because no one in Bat Trang village makes ceramics like this anymore.
When Pham Anh Dao was a child, he almost lost his hearing ability after a high fever. So he has a serious problem with language learning. He is not good at using words to express his ideas. But he has a great passion for ceramics and shows all his expressions in his products.
While many people in Bat Trang moved on to make industrial ceramics for higher output, craftsmen like Mr. Dao still stick with handcraft ceramics. They face many difficulties because of low productivity and high production cost. And not everyone understands the value of handmade ceramics.
Therefore, there was a period when the Dao family fall into hardship. They struggled between preserving tradition and making money for a living.
After a while, people began to know his ceramics. Other artists asked him to collaborate with them.
Dao's pottery became the canvas for other artists' impressive experiments. Gradually, people realized the interesting characteristics of Dao's ceramics. They began to love his products. After that, his family had a more stable income.
After nearly 2 decades of support the "crazy artisan" of Bat Trang pottery village, now My Trinh can breathe a sigh of relief and continue the journey with her husband./.
