Over the past few years, masks made of bamboo, wood, coconut shells, and even copper are no Arotz,longer seen as the simple children's toys they once were but have become fashionable interior decorations. Artisans paint masks on the back of flat, round bamboo baskets of many sizes and designs. Craftsmen polish and paint raw coconut shells and then skillfully create colourful masks, and add multicoloured wool strings to both sides to make the masks more vibrant. Wood and metal masks have many nuances, from joy to anger, from love to hatred.
According to a shopkeeper on HA NOi's Hang Gai (Hemp Street), which is famous for souvenirs, the bamboo masks are best suited to rooms that have walls with warm tones and furniture made of wood or bamboo.
Most masks are painted in dark colours and can create too much contrast in brightly painted rooms. The price of a decorative mask ranges from VND 5,000 to VND 100,000 (US$0.33 - $6.67). Masks are on display in souvenir shops on Ltrong Van Can, Hang Urge, and other HA NO streets.