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Photos: Vietnamese artist crafts tiny culinary classics

Tucked away in a studio in Hanoi, artist Nguyen Thi Ha An spends days meticulously moulding clay and liquid plastic into bite-sized food miniatures that sell for up to $80 a piece. An’s menu features Vietnamese staples, but less globally well-known dishes are also served up at the architect graduate turned artist’s studio. She plans to expand the business to beverages -- including Vietnamese coffee and beer -- as they are served at traditional open-air "bia hoi" bars. An's motive is to help people see the “specific beauty” in each Vietnamese dish.

Updated on: Aug 21, 2020 5:58 PM IST

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Miniature artist Nguyen Thi Ha An poses with her creation ‘Banh Mi’ at her studio in Hanoi, Vietnam on August 18. An, a 28-year-old architecture graduate, began crafting food miniatures made from clay a year ago, spotting a chance to capitalise on the world's growing love for Vietnamese cuisine. (Manan Vatsyayana / AFP)

Updated on Aug 21, 2020 5:58 PM

Miniature artist Nguyen Thi Ha An poses with her creation ‘Banh Mi’ at her studio in Hanoi, Vietnam on August 18. An, a 28-year-old architecture graduate, began crafting food miniatures made from clay a year ago, spotting a chance to capitalise on the world's growing love for Vietnamese cuisine. (Manan Vatsyayana / AFP)

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A view of Nguyen Thi Ha An’s workspace at her studio in Hanoi on August 18. Each model can eat up days of her time and An’s miniature clay creations feature internationally famous Vietnamese meals as well as local favourites. (Manan Vatsyayana / AFP)

Updated on Aug 21, 2020 5:58 PM

A view of Nguyen Thi Ha An’s workspace at her studio in Hanoi on August 18. Each model can eat up days of her time and An’s miniature clay creations feature internationally famous Vietnamese meals as well as local favourites. (Manan Vatsyayana / AFP)

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Nguyen Thi Ha An demonstrating how she worked on her creation ‘Banh Mi’ at her studio. “Each Vietnamese dish has its specific beauty,” she told AFP, using tweezers to softly lay a scallion beside a banh mi sandwich. “I want the models to help people see that.” (Manan Vatsyayana / AFP)

Updated on Aug 21, 2020 5:58 PM

Nguyen Thi Ha An demonstrating how she worked on her creation ‘Banh Mi’ at her studio. “Each Vietnamese dish has its specific beauty,” she told AFP, using tweezers to softly lay a scallion beside a banh mi sandwich. “I want the models to help people see that.” (Manan Vatsyayana / AFP)

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Nguyen Thi Ha An works on a miniature bowl of ‘Pho Ha Noi’ at her studio. Less globally well-known dishes such as sweet rice dessert ‘che com’ are also on the menu at An’s Hanoi studio. But the classics get plenty of attention, with An even modelling tiny bottles of chilli sauce and pickled garlic to accompany her bowls of pho. (Manan Vatsyayana / AFP)

Updated on Aug 21, 2020 5:58 PM

Nguyen Thi Ha An works on a miniature bowl of ‘Pho Ha Noi’ at her studio. Less globally well-known dishes such as sweet rice dessert ‘che com’ are also on the menu at An’s Hanoi studio. But the classics get plenty of attention, with An even modelling tiny bottles of chilli sauce and pickled garlic to accompany her bowls of pho. (Manan Vatsyayana / AFP)

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Nguyen Thi Ha An holding her creations ‘Pho Ha Noi’ (top L) and ‘Banh Mi’ (top R) at her studio and real-life sized versions of a bowl of pho (bottom L) and banh mi at an eatery in Hanoi. “Each model comes with its own difficulty,” she told AFP. “The bowls have to be very clean and neat, while we must show the lines on a scallion to convey its texture.” (Manan Vatsyayana / AFP)

Updated on Aug 21, 2020 5:58 PM

Nguyen Thi Ha An holding her creations ‘Pho Ha Noi’ (top L) and ‘Banh Mi’ (top R) at her studio and real-life sized versions of a bowl of pho (bottom L) and banh mi at an eatery in Hanoi. “Each model comes with its own difficulty,” she told AFP. “The bowls have to be very clean and neat, while we must show the lines on a scallion to convey its texture.” (Manan Vatsyayana / AFP)

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Nguyen Thi Ha An working at her studio in Hanoi. Ninety percent clay and 10 percent liquid plastic, the models can take up to five days each to make, and An sells them for up to $80. An’s assistant, 21-year-old Nguyen Ngan Ha, added that their work must be meticulous at every stage. “People must be able to believe this is real food,” she told AFP. (Manan Vatsyayana / AFP)

Updated on Aug 21, 2020 5:58 PM

Nguyen Thi Ha An working at her studio in Hanoi. Ninety percent clay and 10 percent liquid plastic, the models can take up to five days each to make, and An sells them for up to $80. An’s assistant, 21-year-old Nguyen Ngan Ha, added that their work must be meticulous at every stage. “People must be able to believe this is real food,” she told AFP. (Manan Vatsyayana / AFP)

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Miniature food creations by artist Nguyen Thi Ha An at her studio in Hanoi. An plans to expand the business to beverages -- including Vietnamese coffee and beer -- as they are served at a traditional open-air “bia hoi” bar. And although she has given up a potentially more stable career in architecture to pursue this niche craft, she believes she made the right choice. (Manan Vatsyayana / AFP)

Updated on Aug 21, 2020 5:58 PM

Miniature food creations by artist Nguyen Thi Ha An at her studio in Hanoi. An plans to expand the business to beverages -- including Vietnamese coffee and beer -- as they are served at a traditional open-air “bia hoi” bar. And although she has given up a potentially more stable career in architecture to pursue this niche craft, she believes she made the right choice. (Manan Vatsyayana / AFP)

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