Coconut shell-made painting to break record

      A huge coconut shell-made painting entitled “Dien Bien Heroes”, which is expected to be completed on May 20 by painter Vo Quoc Quy, will break two records and become the largest coconut shell-made painting in Vietnam.
After one year of doing research at museums and making sketches, painter Vo Quy Quoc will begin making a coconut shell painting named “Dien Bien Heroes” today, April 20, at Hac Thien Viet Company in the southern province of Dong Nai. It is expected to take 30 days.
The 10.8m x 2.4m painting will depict General Vo Nguyen Giap and the Dien Bien Phu Victory. The giant painting will include nine separate parts.
It is estimated that around 5 tonnes of coconut shells, chosen from 6,000 coconuts, 75l of glue, 9 pieces of wood of 1.2m x 2.4m, will be required.
The painter will also need the assistance of 10 workers to complete the record painting, at a cost of around VND1 billion ($55,600).
Quoc said the People’s Committee of the central province of Quang Binh had called for funding for this painting. Some donors have agreed to contribute VND500 million ($27,800) for this project but the money hasn’t come in yet. “Even without assistance, I will absolutely still make this painting,” the painter said.
When this work is completed, it will break two previous records for coconut shell-made paintings: the “Vietnam – My Country” (2.4m x 2.6m) and “Song of Unity” (3.2m x 3.2m). Both of the paintings saw the contributions of painter Vo Quy Quoc.