EUGENE HŐN : CERAMIC ARTIST: holidays

Friday, January 6, 2017

Chu Van Phat – Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas - a remarkable experience

Exactly a year ago, two friends and I, did a trip to Vietnam. We only spent a couple of weeks there. Our first stop was the city of Ho Chin Minh in the south of Vietnam. Thereafter we flew to Hanoi, in northern Vietnam. The trip north included a number of days marveling at the beautiful landscapes; the intriguing limestone boulders of Halong Bay. This was a breathtaking and enlightening experience.

Another highlight of my visit to this historically significant country was a little gem of a temple located in the 5^th district of Ho Chin Minh. It is housed on five floors in an unassuming building in a narrow cul-de-sac. I have visited a number of temples in India, China, Taiwan and in Vietnam and this one rates as one of the most incredible I have ever experienced. As a matter of fact it was not listed in the Eyewitness Travel guide titled Vietnam & Angkor Wat. Fulvio De Stefanis, an avid travel and well versed in technology, discovered it as a must see listing with TripAdvisor as Chu Van Phat – Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas.

Captured here are images of the temple, as seen from the modest outside and its surroundings, depicting the Buddha configurations on each floor leading up the stairs to the major Buddha installation on the top floor, where as the title suggests, a vast number of Buddhas, situated in small cubicles, decorate the walls in extraordinary fashion.

Nothing prepares you for this visual experience, and more importantly, your heart and soul. Numerous trips to temples, cathedrals and museums can get overwhelming, however now and then a very special gem is a creative indulgence – often when you least expect it. To be honest we were taken off course in the opposite direction with Uber. Determined as always, we made a u-turn, and after a traffic-laden journey we arrived at our destination. And what an experience it turned out to be – our pilgrimage to find the temple did not disappoint – our determination paid off, big time.

I take the liberty to include some of the TripAdvisor Reviewer Highlights. Visitor ratings are as follows – 13 excellent and 2 good. There are 26 review listings for this place of worship. Below find a few of the reviews, providing insight into the impact the visual gestalt had on those privileged enough to visit the site. Follow the provided TripAdvisor link to obtain more site specifics and other relevant information such as other landmarks in the area, including accommodation specific to your traveling needs.

“must do”

Absolutely incredible, un assuming from the outside but uplifting when inside. Up the stairs to the very top is the gift you came for. Richard E, Palm Springs, California. 31 October 2016.

“so beautiful!”

I had missed this temple on a previous visit to Ho Chin Minh. So pleased to have experienced it this time around. This is one of the most amazing temples, so beautiful...a real hidden treasure. I highly recommend finding this temple. Suzanne K, Brisbane, Australia. 4 January 2016.

“Most stunning temple I have ever seen, and I have seen a few…..”

This temple is truly a hidden gem, locked away at the end of a small alley. When you enter the building you have no clue what will be awaiting you on the top floor! Lower floors are dedicated to honour the deceased. It is humbling to be allowed to wander around this place of worship where people are mourning their …. Maria E. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reviewed 21 November 2015.

Most temples I have visited, like the one captured here, above and on the left, are excessively decorated in every way possible, this includes the exterior and interior, as well as every part of the complexly crafted structure, including the pillars, the walls, the roof as well as the furniture and religious objects placed on the tables surrounding the central Buddha figure. Offerings in all forms, shapes and colour add to an already visually complex experience. Rich colour combinations exploit the colour wheel to good effect, further enhanced by lighting and gilding. The smell of burning incense adds to the overall religious and spiritual experience. It does not get more excessive.The following YouTube video produced by Thomas brings the Chu Van Phat – Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas to life.

And this is what makes the visit of Chua Van Phat, the Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas, very special. The religious installation of Buddhas and religious paraphernalia are thoughtfully integrated into the understated building structure. From a distance religious objects honouring the dead on mass are displayed behind glass in repetitive rows to read as an integrated whole, very much like a complex Chinese calligraphy scroll – when displayed in its entirety on a museum wall, from a distance, the calligraphy reads as patterns, texture and or decoration.

This design approach is put to even greater effect on the top floor. When you enter the main room, the vast number of buddhas, 10 000 of them, are displayed in as many woodcarved niches, it reads as complex three dimensional wall paper. However the overall effect provides a perfectly simple backdrop to the huge central Buddha figure with colourfull religious paraphernalia on both sides. The little Buddhas are recessed into their shadowy niches creating a complimentary three-dimensional decorative effect. Simplicity in its complexity – it is very special indeed.

I often wonder who designs these incredible places of worship, are there various teams working together and what process of visualization and realization is followed. I would really like to view the drawings, the design renderings of the architect and interior designers, from concept to design ideas and more importantly the capturing of various design options for finishes – the inclusion of decoration and colour options. Then there are the artisans that realize the creations in a variety of materials and finishes. One marvels at their creativity and design expertise. I dedicate this blog post to the visionaries, designers and artists and especially the artisans that created this spectacular Temple. A truly remarkable experience.

Friday, January 16, 2015

The Hyltons of Wesoever and De Morgenzon; authentic living to their heart’s content. Celebrate life with a bottle of DeMorgenzon Maestro Red 2011 – music to my ears – a Hon rating for your convenience.

Wesoever op die Nel rivier - Calitzdorp

The December recess will not be the same without a stopover at WESOEVER on the Nel River in Caltizdorp, located on route 62 to Cape Town.

Hylton Nel and Bernard’s home is perfectly situated, close to the local town for shopping purposes and interaction with the locals (part of the community), yet slightly removed on the western edge of the town and the river, offering country and or farm style living with views of the fertile agriculturally developed river bed. In the distance is the Swartberg, an idyllic backdrop for the famous South Africa potters’s homestead.

The mountain range and koppies provide for splendid views on late afternoon walks and or drives on the outskirts of town - arguably one of the most spectacular Klein Karoo landscapes on this famous wine route – stretching from Worcester, through Barrydale, Calitzdorp, and Oudshoorn.

Drinking and chatting on the front ‘stoep’, entertained by Hylton and Bernard’s cats and dogs, interacting with the visiting locals and passing by travellers, provide for fabulous and relaxing moments - a quintessential part of relaxing and much needed holidays. Memorable easy-going conversations with close friends with whom you have much in common. Fellow ceramists sharing work knowledge, influences and possible new directions, all part of ones development. Especially after visiting China together a few years back. You’ve got to love it.

New acquisitions; books, ceramics and ‘work’ form a major part of these valuable and meaningful conversations. Books worth mentioning on this year’s visit are the two exquisite publications complimenting the ‘Sale of the century’- the auction of the late Yves Saint Laurent and his partner's art and design collection.

The large format coffee table books perfectly illustrate their major collections; acquired over five decades for their numerous prestigious homes across the world. Interior magazine style layouts and photodocumentation, illustrate their fabulous and impeccable taste and lifestyle - a must-have. I love cats and I started to document the furry feline friends of friends in the comfort of their homes and surroundings.

Here they are at ease, in command – aware of your every move and sound – responding to your call, only if they approve and are at ease with your persona, and curious enough to desire a closer acquaintance. Enjoy their world at the centre of their universe.

De Morgenzon (the morning sun) - Stellenboschkloof road in Stellenbosch.

A memorable trip down to the Cape included a visit to De Morgenzon (the morning sun), the wine farm of Hylton and Wendy Applebaum. For years the Liberty Life Foundation sponsored many of the Craft Council projects, especially the Craft Fairs at Museum Africa (the first in the country of its kind) and the first international exhibition of local crafts at South Africa House in London. This crafts exhibition launched one of SA’s iconic brands Carrol Boyes whilst showcasing the work of many of our National Living Treasures. I am forever grateful for their support.

This unique winery is located on the Stellenboschkloof road in Stellenbosch. One is greeted with the sound of music, the classic waves streaming through the vines; the masters voice and touch, to produce that ultimate aroma and taste of a memorable classic wine. Open the provided link in a new window (what music do we play) to hear their ‘masters voices’ whilst enjoying the images and sharing in the beautiful and memorable experience.

Everything about the visit to the wine estate embodyied the touch and feel of the Applebaum duo – professionalism, heart and soul. The location, the beautiful winery, the stunning gardens (featured here) and the wine itself, speak of attention to detail, complete with style and masterly crafted finesse. In their own words,

All wine estates in the Western Cape are beautiful and all have unique terroir. However, we believe that DeMorgenzon is the most extraordinary of them all. Our slopes rise from about 200m to nearly 400m above sea level and our vistas embrace Cape Town, Table Mountain, Cape Point, Cape Hangklip, the Hottentots Holland mountains, Helderberg and Simonsberg with the ocean as a backdrop. While we could call ourselves 'mountain vineyards' we prefer to be known as 'garden vineyards'. In Spring specially chosen wildflowers flourish between our vines. We have no doubt that a biodiverse and ecologically sensitive environment produces infinitely better grapes and the beauty of our gardens is captured in every bottle of our wine.   We pipe Baroque music through our vineyards 24x7 and believe that the power of music positively influences the ripening process.

My brother, Alan Hon, introduced me to wine – I’m no connoisseur, but I trust his judgment emphatically. He is well read in a diverse range of topics; a general knowledge that could easily win him the game show, Who Wants to Be a millionaire. My brother, a Geotechnologist, offered to drive me to the wine estate, being familiar with the area, as he worked at the CSIR in Stellenbosch.

Being a founder member of the CSIR wine appreciation group and a secretary of the Durbanville wine club his experience was called upon to do a noteworthy rating of their classic red wine. We bought a bottle of the Demorgenzon Maestro Red 2011, for consumption at lunchtime.

We had so much to celebrate; our brotherly love and the good life – our parents married for 65 years, and in very good health, Ramond at 88 and Emily at 87 respectively. This we did with his immediate family – the red wine was served slightly chilled and needless to say it delivered in aroma and taste, a perfect end to a stunning journey down south – a well deserved holiday, shared with family and friends – memorable as always.