The Gems of Luc Yen

They say travel broadens the mind and documentary-maker Philippe Brunot and gemologist Vincent Pardieu explored many mining communities in different parts of the world, before they encountered the passion of the artisans of Vietnam’s Luc Yen district. 

Luc Yen is rugged and beautiful hill country north-east of Hanoi, and quite close to the border with China. 

There you'll find Vietnamese artisans working with rough or crushed gemstones to create unique artworks .

Gem paintings from Luc Yen involve hours of meticulous work/photo supplied

It's a delicate form, which can take years of training, and many Vietnamese artists learn the required skills in Thailand. 

Gem painting is still relatively unknown, and a documentary film produced by Vincent Pardieu pays tribute to the artists that meticulously turn stones as tiny as rice grains that cannot be used in the jewelry, into shining compositions desired by buyers all over the world.

The technique is believed to have originated in India’s Jaipur region, and spread to Thailand before being picked up in Vietnam and Myanmar.

 The process begins with the purchase of gemstones from mines and gem dealers.

The stones are sorted by colour, washed, and then crushed, with the finest crushed powders used to create an image based on an existing line drawing or photograph. Once all the thousand of stones are in place, a transparent glue is applied and the whole work is left to dry. The final stage is washing the canvas to bring out the natural intense colour of the gemstone pigments. 

Photo supplied

In the case of Luc Yen community, the artists in this niche profession are either self-taught or trained as an apprentice, and because every stone is different, creating the paintings is patient and time-consuming work.  

The history of the craft in Vietnam, and experience of the artists, says something about the determination of the people of the country who are hard at work on the path of economic development. The paintings of Luc Yen are a vital part of the local economy. 

This niche industry isn’t just producing art, it is helping local communities, using gemstones that are mined, but can't be used to make jewellery as they aren't of sufficient quality.

Every new artisan who takes up the profession is free to develop their own style or specialisation.

And indeed, the Luc Yen gemstone painters say they are ready to train any person, especially miners from other parts of the world – despite the fact that the market for gemstone works is very competitive, with some art pieces fetching high prices on international markets.

Former Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh is a popular gemstone painting subject/ photo supplied

This motivation by the Vietnamese artists to better their lives struck gemologist Vincent Pardieu while on a field trip to Vietnam, and he collaborated with director Philippe Brunot to produce this documentary, wishing to inspire others with a story which looks at an everlasting form of art – one which will stay intact for many generations to come. 

Brunot and Pardieu envisioned the economic impact this craft could also have on the livelihoods of other gemstone mining communities including in Brunot’s native country Madagascar. 

 “It was certainly challenging to document a topic of such economic concern about some of the most deprived people in the world,”  says Brunot.  

“Since our ultimate goal is to introduce this profession to the small-scale mining communities worldwide, either directly or through NGOs, a concise documentary will perhaps assure many viewings,." 

Philippe Brunot also notes the differences between Vietnam, and other mining communities he had seen, mostly in Africa.  

"What particularly struck me in Vietnam was the fundamental role of female workers. These were women mining the ruby fields of Luc Yen, as well as trading, managing enterprises, and keeping their households intact. The decades of conflict in the past in Vietnam forced men to delegate much more responsibility to women.”

The independently produced documentary won the award for Best Short Documentary at the Paris Film Festival, making it art - about art. 

- Asia Media Centre