Non Nuoc traditional craft village at the foot of Da Nang’s Marble Mountains tourist area has now bustled with sawing, drilling, grinding and chiselling sounds. On top of that, everything is now clean after stone carving establishments in the neighbouring residential areas were relocated here for concentrated production according to the planning. Non-Nuoc stone carving village covering an area of about 35ha started operating in 2017 with over 380 stone carving establishments.

Sculptors in Non Nuoc stone art village have to work hard under the scorching heat of summer and rock dust. Photo: D.H.L

“The income is just enough to pay for living expenses”

According to Mr Le Van Huan, Deputy Head of the Management Board of Non Nuoc stone carving village, stone carving establishments were mainly in residential areas in the past, so wastewater and dust caused serious pollution to the living environment. Since the planning of the craft village and construction of wastewater treatment stations, wastewater has been treated to ensure environmental safety standards before being discharged into the Co Co River.

The current shortcoming is that Non Nuoc handicraft stone village is planned to be divided into plots like a residential area, so the infrastructure is not reasonable when put into use because the plots are narrow in width, causing many inconveniences for sculpting and transporting large-sized stones. Besides, there are still a bunch of stone carving establishments in residential areas, affecting the living environment of people in the area.

During the past Covid-19 outbreaks, numerous stone carving establishments were affected in terms of product consumption. As shared by Ms Thai Thi Nga, owner of Long Buu stone carving establishment, the move of the stone carving establishment to Non Nuoc stone carving village has created many conveniences as the facility is arranged more neatly and cleanly than before.

Currently, the establishment mainly performs the remaining old contracts before the pandemic. Despite price escalation in materials, the establishment still tries to preserve this traditional craft to ensure regular operation and jobs for 12 craftsmen.

As shared by Mr Do Van Loai, a skilled craftsman from Quang Nam Province who works at this facility, he came here to learn and has been bonded with this profession for over 10 years. This is quite a hard job since you have to expose yourself to scorching heat and dust all day. However, he cannot leave this job because he loves it. Even his son has also followed his father’s career path due to his passion.

Sophisticated works of art mainly displayed at the facility are spiritual statues and celebrities ordered by other localities such as Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City, bringing in an income of VND 10-20 million /month/craftsman.

Mr Nguyen Hai Duong, the owner of the Hai Duong stone carving facility, said that his establishment specializes in producing all kinds of Buddha statues on request. However, “the income is just enough to pay for living expenses”, said Mr Duong.

Connecting sculpting and crafting product consumption

For the time being, establishments in Non Nuoc stone carving village has found outputs for their products themselves, mainly exporting to domestic localities. The village has now not had a shared channel to introduce and promote crafting products, except for establishments having their own Facebook page to connect with customers. Besides, the environmental pollution problems have been still existed, so authorities need to pay close attention to the definitive treatment of dirt and wastewater to serve tourism needs and preserve the traditional craft.

According to Ms Phan Quynh Huong, Director of Da Nang Sculpture Foundation, from 2003-2016, the fund implemented a project funded by Norway to train sculptors. However, at present, the unit generates its revenue to cover operating costs and the city's art programs, as well as participating in the processing and production of statues according to orders and creating jobs for craftsmen who have been apprenticed here

As an integral foundation of training sculptors and supporting art activities of Da Nang, Da Nang Sculpture Foundation actively seeks outside funding sources, but it is very difficult to mobilize sponsors from businesses due to the impact of COVID-19.

“In 2017, the Da Nang Sculpture Foundation presented the city with two statues worth more than VND 1.1 billion, namely “Sea Wave” and “Mother’s Milk Stream” located at the beginning of the Vo Nguyen Giap - Vo Van Kiet roads and the park in front of the AZURA building with the support of two sculptors Pham Hong and Oyvin Storbaekken (Norway). In the coming time, the Foundation wishes the city government to organize more sculpture activities and create favourable conditions to support the Foundation to develop by assigning sculptures of city works such as public statues," suggested Ms Huong.

Reporting by DOAN HAO LUONG- Translating by T.VY