Wild Horses print

An art print inspired by Vietnamese mother-of-pearl inlay lacquer art. or tranh sơn mài. Growing up, every Vietnamese American home I visited had these panels proudly displayed on their walls, including my parents’ house. These painting were painstakingly crafted by artisans (super labor-intensive!) and I’ve always felt at home near this sort of art. Traditionally, tranh sơn mài is made using resin from the lacquer tree and inlaid with natural materials like mother-of-pearl from shells, gold leaf, silver leaf, and more to create a shimmery effect. These artworks are very durable and can last for hundreds of years. Common themes in these paintings include landscapes (especially the countryside), symbols for the four seasons, horses galloping, mythical animals, Vietnamese deities, Vietnamese people in traditional clothes, and more.

My reimagining of this artwork features horses at various stages of movement (not all are galloping; some are lying down and taking a nap, which is totally my energy these days), a landscape, and the four sacred animals: the dragon, the phoenix, the tortoise, and the kỳ lân (kinda like a unicorn, kinda). Additionally, there is the symbolism of the crane and tortoise, a duo repping legacy and longevity.