VOA文化艺术2022--越南艺术家纪念虎年

Vietnam Artist Marks the Year of the Tiger

As Vietnam prepares to celebrate the Year of the Tiger on February 1, artist Nguyen Tan Phat is busy creating hundreds of tigers to mark the Lunar New Year.

Over the next few months, Phat aims to make 2,022 tigers from wood and red clay. Phat often creates art with the 12 animals of the lunar calendar. But he said he is especially drawn¹ to the tiger this year.

"I am very fond of tigers as an animal, as they are so powerful yet so majestic²," Phat said. The 39-year-old artist talked with Reuters reporters from his home and work area in Duong Lam, a village just north of Hanoi.

His tiger sculptures are made from local materials. The materials include wood of the jackfruit tree and a clay-like substance commonly used in buildings in the area. He also uses crushed eggshells and seashells to form markings on the surface of some sculptures.

Phat said it takes about six weeks to complete one tiger. He must paint and then cover the sculptures in a protective substance. He works on several tigers at a time and employs two or three people to help him.

As of January 25, Phat had finished more than 800 tigers. Once he is fully³ finished, he plans to show all 2,022 tigers at a special event. Then he plans to sell them.

The Lunar New Year, known as Tet, in Vietnam will look different than usual years. Officials in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City said there will be no traditional firework shows because of COVID-19 concerns.

Words in This Story

clay - n. a heavy, sticky material from the earth that could be shaped and becomes hard when it is dried or baked

fond - adj. strongly felt

majestic - adj. large and impressively beautiful

sculpture - n. piece of art that is made by molding or carving⁴ clay, stone, metal, wood, etc...

1 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

2 majestic   

adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的

参考例句：

• In the distance rose the majestic Alps.远处耸立着雄伟的阿尔卑斯山。
• He looks majestic in uniform.他穿上军装显得很威风。

3 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

4 carving   

n.雕刻品，雕花

参考例句：

• All the furniture in the room had much carving.房间里所有的家具上都有许多雕刻。
• He acquired the craft of wood carving in his native town.他在老家学会了木雕手艺。