Hoang Tuan Long launches bamboo stick art project "Mandala Universe"

He is the founder and name-maker of the art form.Boarco- an art form that creates models from bamboo (a type of bamboo), architect Hoang Tuan Long has designed unique boarc artworks that are displayed in many famous museums around the world.

Recently, to further express his passion for bamboo toothpicks, he launched an art and charity project called "Mandala Universe." The artwork features a Mandala at its center, surrounded by 379 characters from the Great Compassion Mantra, and an outer circle stylized from lotus petals, signifying that each person is a small universe protected by a larger universe with the compassion and loving-kindness of the Buddha.

With the desire to spread positive values, Hoang Tuan Long called upon 379 people to participate (equivalent to 379 syllables of the Great Compassion Mantra), with each person reciting one syllable, as a reminder that every heart possesses love, compassion, and tolerance from within.

In an interview with the press, Mr. Hoang Tuan Long shared: "I hope that the 379 characters of the Great Compassion Mantra will be shared among 379 people who will contribute to creating this artwork. The project is expected to be completed in 3 months. After completion, Long will register for two records: a Vietnamese record and an Asian record for the artwork with the most participants." He added that after completion, he will auction off the artwork, and the proceeds will be used to care for orphans, underprivileged children, and sick children undergoing treatment.

Since 2012, Hoang Tuan Long has created a series of replicas of famous architectural landmarks such as the Big Ben clock tower, the Taj Mahal, Ben Thanh Market, and the One Pillar Pagoda. Among them, his replica of the One Pillar Pagoda set a Vietnamese record in 2016, completed in 6 months using 110,000 bamboo toothpicks. In 2020, Hoang Tuan Long was recognized by the Worldking World Records Alliance as the person who has created the most models using bamboo toothpicks and acrylic.

The idea for the artwork "Mandala Universe" was conceived by Hoang Tuan Long in 2021, but due to the impact of the pandemic, it could not be realized. He created this artwork to pay tribute to his mother, who passed away during the recent Covid-19 outbreak. "My mother and I had talked about creating this artwork when the pandemic subsided, but sadly, she no longer had the opportunity," he said.

In the future, he will continue to recreate Vietnam's heritage through bamboo toothpick art, to promote the image of Vietnam and its people to the world.

Khanh Ha