Born into a family with a tradition of making Bat Trang pottery, Mr. Nguyen Trong Nghia (born in 1986) was taught experience and love for the profession from his grandparents and parents. Since he and his younger brother inherited the family's pottery workshop in 2010, Mr. Nghia has continuously expanded and developed his business, supplying the market with hundreds of thousands of pottery products each year. He was awarded the title of Hanoi Artist in 2024, won 3rd Prize in the "Handsome Product Design Contest 2024", A Prize in the "Handsome Products 2023" contest...
As an artisan who has been attached to Bat Trang pottery village for many years, how do you evaluate the development of pottery in the modern era?
- After many years of working in the profession, I have noticed that the attention of authorities at all levels, from the district and city levels to departments and branches for the pottery industry has increased. Bat Trang pottery village in particular and many craft villages across the country have made progress in scale and qualifications.
Currently, in the eyes of experts, collectors and customers, Bat Trang is emerging as the largest craft pottery village in the country. Currently, the rate of people working directly or indirectly related to pottery in Bat Trang commune accounts for about 80 - 90%. The number of furnaces is up to thousands, leading the country.
In terms of consumption output, Bat Trang's pottery products are very diverse. Currently, in the village, there are many young people who are trained through schools such as the Vietnam University of Fine Arts or the University of Industrial Fine Arts. After studying, they returned to pottery making, bringing creativity in shapes, colors and modern processing techniques.
Bat Trang ceramics not only have tradition and folktales, but also apply aesthetic philosophy. When participating in exhibitions and exhibitions, Bat Trang ceramics are admired, praised, and celebrated by many people to receive the products. From here, it can be seen that the Bat Trang pottery industry is increasingly strong, the development potential of pottery will certainly reach far in the future.
Bat Trang pottery village is a traditional craft village. In your opinion, should the craft village preserve that tradition or create from tradition?
- To have today's pottery, we must thank our ancestors, those who kept the profession, kept the fire and taught us. The development of Bat Trang today has two important factors: Inheritance and creativity. I am always creative but based on the fundamental foundation left by our ancestors in the past.
Currently, I am processing many new products, but still using dirt, traditional smelting methods and fermentation.
In addition, I also researched and combined new commentaries and land documents, based on the ingredients left by the ancients. This creativity must be fundamental, combining the characteristics of each period such as Dinh, Le, Ly, Tran... Sometimes I make the original, sometimes combining with the elements of many periods.
What role does technology and science and technology play in that process?
- It is true that modern technology today has helped a lot in maintaining and developing the Bat Trang pottery industry. In the past, artisans often had to do many stages by hand, such as using charcoal kilns and monitoring temperatures with senses. But now, automatic fans help control temperature more accurately, making it easier to heat products.
In addition, the technology of analyzing raw material components has helped improve the quality of ceramics. Previously, raw materials had to be exploited rudimentarily, but now modern machines help workers exploit and process raw materials more effectively, improving the purity, thereby creating products with more stable quality.
Will the application of modern technology lose the identity of handmade ceramics?
- Technology really supports the development of the pottery industry a lot. But it is undeniable that the soul of the pottery is still in the hands of artisans. Although today, raw materials can be exploited from many different places such as Phu Tho or even Japan, to preserve the identity of Bat Trang, the most important steps still need the hands of craftsmen.
Bat Trang pottery village still maintains its core values of materials, designs, and processing techniques, especially the fermentation lines that have been preserved and developed over centuries. Compared to other pottery villages, Bat Trang may not be too different in scale or ingredients, but the enzyme line is very rich. Protein is one of the most prominent and typical pigments of this land. In addition, ancient ensembles are also very famous, have a history of hundreds of years, and are widely applied in products.
In the past 20 years, Bat Trang artisans have been very creative in developing new types of enzyme such as bulb enzyme, calcium enzyme... These types of enzyme bring diversity in products, from beautiful ceramic vases to other handicraft products. This is a combination of traditional elements and the constant creativity of artisans.
To have a strong craft village like today, the Bat Trang pottery has been passed down through many generations, crystallizing the creativity of many generations of artisans. As a famous artisan, how are you passing on your experience to the younger generation?
- I myself was taught the profession and was influenced by my teacher - potter To Thanh Son. Later, during the working process, I always instructed and taught the experience to the staff in the workshop to inherit the quintessence of the pottery profession.
In the process of improving knowledge, I often emphasize some factors. The first is "One artistic, one body, one spirit", you need to have good skills. Second, you must persevere, because if the pottery industry is not persistent, you cannot do it.
Making ceramics also has artistic elements, so you must have qualities and love the job. After choosing those with qualities, I will put you in the right position. Ceramic production has many processes, each of you will have your own strengths, and I determine your abilities to promote them properly.
So, despite the current support technology for development, does Bat Trang still have any difficulties in maintaining traditional crafts?
- The biggest difficulty is maintaining the quality and identity of traditional handicrafts. However, with the efforts of artisans and the support of technology, we can still maintain stability in the product. The important thing is that this stability must always be maintained, so that in any circumstances, Bat Trang products still retain their "soul" and quality as at first.
The development of Bat Trang pottery industry today is not only a story about production, but also a story of preserving the culture and traditions of a long-standing craft village.
How do you evaluate the pottery output sold on the market during the 2025 Lunar New Year?
- 2025 is a difficult year in many aspects, the economic conditions of many people have somewhat declined. At the same time, the year of At Ty with snake mascots makes many people hesitant to buy this pottery product for display, causing the sales volume to decrease sharply, sometimes only 1/10 of the year of the Dragon ( Dracon). Other pottery products have also decreased slightly compared to previous years.
What is your goal for 2025?
- 2023 - 2024 is the stage of building the foundation. By 2025, I plan to expand production and learn more about foreign markets.
This year the economy may still be facing difficulties, but difficulties will create motivation to try harder. I believe that with determination, everything is possible.
