Pham Thanh Huyen

Pham Thanh Huyen is a silversmith, owner of Silver Soul Studio. I visited her on a random busy day; yet, we had a quite tranquil time sharing and talking. Since the first day of Silver Soul Studio, there’ve been many ups and downs; after all, to Huyen, this workshop represents her life and thoughts about a fading traditional craft in Hanoi, Vietnam. 

I shall compact our conversation in that afternoon in some few dialogues, to get to know more about Huyen, about Silver Soul, about the ongoing  journey of filigree silversmithing. 

Why do you choose to do it the traditional crafting way when there are many commercial methods? What were your obstacles when starting? 

Pham Thanh Huyen: In 2017, I travelled to Myanmar and fell in love with the silver work. Well, back then, I had no clue about it. When I returned to Vietnam, I started to find information about the craft, mostly on the internet. I accidentally found an interview of a silversmith in Dinh Cong (Hanoi, Vietnam). I was utterly impressed by his and his crew’s silver crafts. I’ve only seen some stereo-type silver works in Vietnam, and foremost, I know this craft is disappearing. I simply thought that it would be a waste if no one learnt the techniques for such exquisite stunning artwork that has been for millennia. The filigree techniques of Dinh Cong silver craft village is one of the four elite crafts of Thang Long Citadel (ancient time): “Lĩnh hoa Yên Thái, gốm Bát Tràng, bạc Định Công, đồng Ngũ Xã” (Yen Thai patterned silk, Bat Trang ceramics, Dinh Cong silver, Ngu Xa bronze). Compared to others in the quadruplets, Dinh Cong silver is currently rare. I’ve been to the silver workshop of the man I’ve mentioned earlier. I’ve talked and learnt directly from them since August (2019) last year.

People at the workshop are very supportive, they encourage young people who want to learn the craft but not so many can follow with. The reason is the hardship of this craft. Filigree requires the craftsman to be truly patient, skillful, meticulous, consistent with details. It takes two years or even longer than that for a person to master the skill, depending on his/her ability and their sleight of hands as well as their sense of aesthetic. At the beginning, the salary is just around 2-3 millions/ month/ person counting on how many items they make. After a while of learning and practising, they can manage some simple steps. For 8 to 9 months in 2020, I wasn’t paid (as I was just learning and not doing any work for them), and lived on my savings, so I totally understood their circumstances. Honestly, because I was able to carry myself financially, I could trade-off my time to pursue this work. 

Besides, there are some difficulties about the working environment. Before that, I was a nine-to-five, sitting in an air-con room, comfortable all year round. Everything was completely different from burying myself in a silver workshop, surrounded with tools: roller, torches, vulcanizer, and so on.

How about the surroundings there, aside from machines/tools?

There’re the Temple of the Ancestors of Silversmithing and the Communal house of Thanh Hoang Dong Hy Dong Hai Duc Vu Dai Vuong. I am surrounded by the tranquil sacred atmosphere and, at the same time, the meaning of preserving and developing the craft for silversmiths like me; I really love it. 

How about the people?

I felt from people working with me their honesty, simplicity, modesty. We are together like a family, generously support each other, have fun together like fishing, camping, doing sports.. This is an art-related work, and people I work with are traditional artists, though I feel very close and friendly with them. 

Why is Dinh Cong silver less popular now? 

People in the workshop are mostly middle-age, the oldest is about 50. Their time is dedicated to raw materials and tools. The seeding and promotion on media are limited. If we do when the workforce is low, the supply doesn’t meet the demand, it would be bad. Nowaday, not so many people, who can acquire the factors according to this profession, work on the craft; people who join are less and less. Most of the skillful craftsmen are soon retiring and waiting for the next generation to handle the work. The lack of workforce leads to many downsides in expanding the production scale. Up until now, they only have two more people joining the team: I and another girl born in 1997. 

What problems are the silver workshops facing with training new workers, apart from attracting human resources?

Foremost, I think it comes from income. They should provide a certain amount so that new workers could afford their livings. As I’ve mentioned, their starting salary is really low or even merely paid at all. The owners have zero financial ability to support workers.

After a year learning at the workshop, how do you feel? How has your daily life changed?

No one would believe that I could make it that far. In the first 4 months, I worked dual jobs; in the office by day and spending my night shift at the workshop. Due to some factors, I, then, quit my office job, worked full-time at the workshop, and wasn’t sure when I would begin my office life again. The more I do, the more I love to be a silversmith and just like that I have been working on it until now. There was a time that I wanted to earn more while learning, I applied for several positions and had interviews but then I stopped. I have realised that I love making these delicate little things more than any other jobs. I decided to spend my savings on my living and follow the craft, until I cannot carry on. After a while of learning, I thought about developing this craft and also to test myself with new things. In September this year, Silver Soul Studio was established.

I studied linguistics for 4 years and worked in the industry after that. To think back, I still love it much and learn a lot from it. Silver filigree comes to me like faith, when it comes I embrace it and learn more new things. 

So, what is the most important thing for you when you started your Silver filigree crafting business, and even more than that, you are the direct silversmith doing the work?

The attitude for your product is one of the key things. I constantly learn from my own products. Even though I know some skills require time to manage and master and I don’t have the sleight of hands like other artisans in the workshop, I always tell myself to keep the right attitude, respect the products; my final products should be the best as it could be. 

Additionally, the products need to have the soul with it. Each product I make should be like a painting, relatively technically perfect and embedded with emotions and the heart of the craftsman. About material, filigree requires Silver 999, which is ‘soft’ and elegant enough for shaping small details. 

In conclusion, the product is the most important factor in my business criteria. It represents the combination of quality, technique, aesthetics and soul. When the customers receive it, they realise immediately the distinction of it from other typical silver products. From here, they understand the value and cherish it. 

What is your future plan for Silver Soul Studio?

I will improve my techniques as well as my creativity to introduce much better products and constantly remind myself to keep on learning. I am nursing an idea to open a shop in Hoi An (Quang Nam, Vietnam). Their cultural and tourist atmosphere are just right for Silver Soul’s products. 

Thank you for this conversation!

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