Nguyen Hue Flower Street for Binh Ngo Tet 2026 has the theme "Spring Gathering - Steadfastly Rising", for the first time there are 2 different day and night versions in the same space. At the workshop of Van Tong Fine Arts Co., Ltd., the working rhythm is still bustling day and night. This place is urgently completing the horse mascot - the main mascot of Nguyen Hue Flower Street for Tet 2026, along with many other important decorative items.
According to artisan Van Tong, this year, the workshop is responsible for constructing a large-scale horse mascot with high technical requirements. The mascot is 9 meters long, 7 meters high, when installed at the Flower Street, it will reach a total height of 11 meters. The special feature of this year's mascot is not only the artistic shape but also the integration of movement and modern color effects.
To complete this giant mascot, the workshop started construction more than two months ago, going through many stages from sculpture and shaping, material research, to mechanical installation and fine arts processing. Currently, the overall progress has reached about 70%, expected to be completed by the end of this week to be transported to the Flower Street for installation according to the plan of the Organizing Committee.
One of the stages that requires high meticulousness is the art drawing stage undertaken by Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen - an art worker with more than ten years of experience. Her job is to draw patterns, create lines and coordinate colors directly on the mascot. “The most difficult thing is to make it look exactly like the approved drawing, without adding or subtracting according to intuition,” Ms. Huyen shared.
The apricot blossom patterns and cloud motifs in traditional style are handled sharply and softly, contributing to creating a "soul" for the mascot. For the art part for a mascot, Ms. Huyen took about 3 days to perform, working continuously and often overtime until evening.
In parallel, there is the mechanical - movement technology stage, undertaken by Mr. Le Thanh Tung - electrical - mechanical technician of the workshop - in charge. He is responsible for designing the movement system for the horse mascot and the large lantern. Without detailed mechanical drawings, he and his team had to directly calibrate on the actual model, using electric motors, gears and joints to create movement for the horse's head and legs. The movement speed is designed to be flexible, adjustable to be "eye-catching" and safe.
The system is also programmed to control LED lighting, while ensuring water resistance and limiting heat generation when displayed outdoors.
Van Tong workshop currently has about 50 employees, divided into many departments: sculpture, fine arts, mechanics, supplies. In the days leading up to Tet, workers have to work overtime day and night, sometimes working until 10-11 pm to ensure progress.
From a small workshop with the smell of paint, foam and the continuous sound of machinery, the horse mascot is gradually being completed to step out into the city center space. That is the result of persistent labor, creativity and dedication of the silent people behind Nguyen Hue Flower Street - where every spring, their art and efforts get closer to the public.
