According to Cultura Fish (Hieu Van Ngu), Hat Boi is part of the “Alternative Identities: Masks of ASEAN and Korea” exhibition with a view to introducing “other faces” created under the theme of “Mask”, which is the cultural heritage of humanity.

The event is being jointly held by KF ASEAN Culture House and the International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (ICHCAP) and consists of five sections. The art of Hat Boi is introduced in Section 3.

In Google Arts & Culture’s description, Hat Boi or Tuong is a traditional Vietnamese classical drama which encourages Vietnamese people to consider their past and present lives. This type of mask drama seeks to combine both music and dance, whilst also featuring distinctive makeup and costumes.

The website noted that Hat Boi dramatises Vietnamese folk tales or fables, whilst it can also be based on various scripts created which have historical, political, social, and cultural settings. 

“It portrays figures from various walks of life including kings, queens, generals, maids, ladies, and students. It also aesthetically depicts heroic characters and lessons on human deeds such as sacrifice for the greater cause,” says Google Arts & Culture.

It also notes that the various colours and patterns used on the faces have symbolic meanings and representations. For example, a white face symbolises gentleness and quietness, while red stands for wisdom, courage, and staunchness. Moreover, a striped face signifies an ugly person with a hot temper.

Google Arts & Culture is an online platform developed by Google in order to showcase the rich heritage of diverse cultures, art, art movements, and various civilizations from around the world.

Through its virtual reality interface, Google Arts & Culture allows users to explore and discover these rich masterpieces using only their Google accounts and mobile phones, PCs, or top-of-the-line Chromebooks.

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