Vietnam craftsman makes World Cup mascots from eggshells

Nguyen Thanh Tam, an English teacher in Vietnam, creates models out of eggshells at his home in Ho Chi Minh City, including the 2018 Russian World Cup mascots.

This picture taken on June 20, 2018 shows two finished models of Zabivaka, the 2018 Russian World Cup mascot, made from eggshells by retired Vietnamese English teacher Nguyen Thanh Tam, displayed at his home in Ho Chi Minh City.
AFP

This picture taken on June 20, 2018 shows two finished models of Zabivaka, the 2018 Russian World Cup mascot, made from eggshells by retired Vietnamese English teacher Nguyen Thanh Tam, displayed at his home in Ho Chi Minh City.

Football scarves, shirts and ... eggshell art? World Cup swag has taken a quirky turn in Vietnam where a retired schoolteacher is making mascot memorabilia from hollowed-out eggs, meticulously crafted by hand.

AFP

This picture taken on June 20, 2018 shows retired Vietnamese English teacher Nguyen Thanh Tam displaying two finished models of Vinicius, the 2016 Rio Olympics mascot, made from eggshells, at his home in Ho Chi Minh City.

Nguyen Thanh Tam, 67, spends hours every day making the models, driven by his football fanaticism, a passion shared by millions across Vietnam glued to the World Cup since the tournament kicked off in Russia earlier this month.

AFP

This picture taken on June 20, 2018 shows retired Vietnamese English teacher Nguyen Thanh Tam piercing an eggshell as he creates a model of Zabivaka, the 2018 Russian World Cup mascot, at his home in Ho Chi Minh City.

Most of his tiny statues are of tournament mascot Zabivaka, a wolf in sports goggles kicking a football, and he has models of football heroes Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the works.

"Over the past few years, I have been spending my time making football mascots with eggshells as a way for me to show my love for football," Tam told AFP, speaking before a basket of eggs in his Ho Chi Minh City home.

AFP

This picture taken on June 20, 2018 shows retired Vietnamese English teacher Nguyen Thanh Tam blowing out the egg yolk as he creates a model of Zabivaka, the 2018 Russian World Cup mascot, made from eggshells, at his home in Ho Chi Minh City.

Though not widespread in Vietnam, using eggshells in art is not unheard of: traditional lacquer works often feature inlaid eggshell in lieu of white paint.

Tam says working with the fragile shells requires sharp focus.

"I love this work because it requires me to be creative, observant, meticulous and relaxed," Tam added.

AFP

This picture taken on June 20, 2018 shows retired Vietnamese English teacher Nguyen Thanh Tam making paper cutouts as he creates a model of Zabivaka, the 2018 Russian World Cup mascot, made from eggshells, at his home in Ho Chi Minh City.

He first developed the unique hobby around Christmas in 2002, when he was looking for the right material to make a Santa statue with his 13-year-old students.

Tam decided that an eggshell perfectly captured Saint Nick's rotund belly.

AFP

This picture taken on June 20, 2018 shows retired Vietnamese English teacher Nguyen Thanh Tam assembling eggshells as he creates a model of Zabivaka, the 2018 Russian World Cup mascot, at his home in Ho Chi Minh City.

He eventually married his passion for crafts and football and started making World Cup mascots during the 2010 World Cup that was held in South Africa.

Now he has about 1,000 of the small figurines scattered throughout his apartment, some commemorating the 2016 Rio Olympics and Euro 2016 in France.

AFP

This picture taken on June 20, 2018 shows retired Vietnamese English teacher Nguyen Thanh Tam painting an eggshell as he creates a model of Zabivaka, the 2018 Russian World Cup mascot, at his home in Ho Chi Minh City.

Others are of celebrities, Charlie Chaplin, Barack Obama, and Gangnam Style's PSY all feature in his collection or birds and animals, like his porcine series to mark the Year of the Pig in 2019.

Tam says the biggest challenge is finding the right egg shape to fit the creation, so he has expanded beyond chicken eggs to include ostrich and quail.

AFP

This picture taken on June 20, 2018 shows retired Vietnamese English teacher Nguyen Thanh Tam assembling eggshells as he creates a model of Zabivaka, the 2018 Russian World Cup mascot, at his home in Ho Chi Minh City.

He has also widened his repertoire of egg recipes to use up all the yolks and whites he discards to make his art.

Tam doesn't sell the delicate dolls, preferring instead to keep them on display to wow his visitors.

"I make eggshell art to satisfy my passion, not for commercial purposes," he said.

AFP

This picture taken on June 20, 2018 shows retired Vietnamese English teacher Nguyen Thanh Tam displaying two finished models of Zabivaka (L), the 2018 Russian World Cup mascot, made from eggshells, at his home in Ho Chi Minh City.

He has already received a nod from Vietnam's record centre for the most eggshell art created believed to be a niche category though he has global ambitions.

"I hope one day my eggshell art will be recognised as a world record." he said with a smile.

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