Thi Nguyễn in Music & Arts
The Facetious Gender Politics of Gỗ Lim, Hanoi's Feminist Post-Punk Quintet
In an example of cruel irony, October 20 is when we celebrate annual Vietnam Women's Day, and also the anniversary of the passing of Mai Nga (commonly known as Nga Nhí), the lead singer of Gỗ Lim — a Hanoi-based female post-punk band that, albeit short-lived, struck a blow for women’s representation in rock and metal music in Vietnam in 2011 and 2012.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
'Chuyện Của Pao' Turned a Historic H'Mông Home in Hà Giang Into a Tourist Attraction
The photos don’t do it justice. That’s what you’ll often hear from people who visit Hà Giang to cruise its famed highway loop.
How Vietnam's Muslims Celebrate Ramadan, Eid Al-Fitr in Mekong Delta's Châu Đốc
Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, yet Vietnamese Muslims represent as little as 0.1% of the country’s population. Most are ethnic Chăm, while a few are foreigners and a few converts. After traveling to Châu Đốc in An Giang Province, where the majority are located, I was mesmerized by the unique cultural mix this community represents.
Văn Tân in Culture
A Brief History of Ông Đồ, Vietnam’s Scholars Whose Calligraphy Is Highly Sought After
To say that Tết gathers together everything most beautiful in Vietnamese culture would not be an exaggeration. More than a threshold between the old year and the new, it is also a time when people feel they can return to, and relive, the traditional values that define them.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
From Dark to Dawn, an Early Morning at Hội An's Duy Hải Fish Market
At 3am, Hội An’s streets resemble dog-gnawed pork bones, licked clean of all scent and viscera. No light, no noise, no movement. But that’s the time you must venture out to witness the Duy Hải Fish Market in action.
Review: 'New Wave' Documentary Is a Surprisingly Personal Dissection of 1980s Nostalgia
Melodic synth-lines and steady electronic drums. Today, the signature sounds of new wave music feel perhaps a bit old and outdated. During its high point during the 1980s, however, new wave was hailed as music of the future.
On the Cusp of a Modern New Year, Reflections on a Simpler Tết Past
Every year, as the pages from my block calendar peel off, bringing me towards another Vietnamese New Year, my mind once again fills with nostalgia about an old Tết. Tết in my memory begins with my childhood in a small house nestled under a coconut grove on the outskirts of Bạc Liêu in the Mekong Delta. Those were days of hardship, yet my parents worked hard so that Tết could bloom magnificently for all of us.
A Damaged Masterpiece Reveals How Much We Take Our Cultural Heritage for Granted
A once-damaged national treasure remains on view as if nothing had happened, while other works are displayed with little context — what does this tell us about how art museums preserve Vietnam's cultural heritage and shape our art history narratives today?
[Photos] This Instagram Account Is A Visual Ode to Walls in Japan
A Japanese graphic designer finds beauty in the mundane.
Kit Humphrey in Music & Arts
Q&A: Six Austin, Texas Musicians on the Excitement of Playing Quest Festival
Quest Festival is just around the corner, and this year sees a curious new addition – Project ATX6, a music documentary project that sends six emerging Austin musicians to perform at three internation...
Remi: How a Group of Audiophile Friends Built a Premier Place to Promote Live Music
The saxophonist's fingers run up and down the keys like the shiver sashaying a spine when one a cold breeze brushes across bare skin.
Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnam's Beauty Pageant Obsession; Bad Behavior by Vietnamese Abroad
The latest episode of the Saigoneer Podcast is online now!
Kit Humphrey in Music & Arts
In Bac Ninh, New Residency Program Unites International Artists With Local Artisans
In a country with surprisingly few artist-in-residence programs, live.make.share represents a rare opportunity for cultural symbiosis and artistic development by giving international artists the chanc...
[Video] Spanish Filmmaker Captures Hanoi’s After-Hours, Neon-Lit Nightscapes
In a city that often serves as a muse for filmmakers, we are regularly treated to shorts that capture the capital’s allure. Yet it is less common to discover clips portraying the city’s nocturnal char...
[Illustrations] A Watercolor Food Alphabet for the Hungry Typographer
Is this not the most delicious alphabet ever?
Saigoneer Podcast: VinFast's New Electric Motorbike; Adapting Foreign Dishes to Local Tastes
The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is available now!
Kit Humphrey in Music & Arts
The Children: Earnestness, Heartbreak and Acceptance on Debut Album ‘Con Duong’
On their debut album, Con Đường, the much loved Hanoi outfit bring a darker yet more mature sound that speaks as much about the depths of heartbreak and loss as it does hope.
Paintings by Artist Bui Xuan Phai on Display in London Asian Art Week
Two London galleries are displaying dozens of pieces of artwork by painters Bui Xuan Phai and Nguyen Tu Nghiem as part of the 2018 edition of Asian Art In London from November 5 to 9.
Vietnamese-American Writer Ocean Vuong to Release Debut Novel Next Year
Earlier this year, Vietnamese-American poet and writer Ocean Vuong won the prestigious 2017 T. S. Elliot Prize for his poetry collection Night Sky With Exit Wounds.
[Illustrations] A Halcyon Hanoi Through Artist Pham Anh's Ultra-Realistic Oil Paintings
Living in the same neighborhood for an extended period of time can lead one to take it for granted. But it only requires the perspective of an artistically inclined outsider to make you fall in love w...
Vietnamese Actor Wins Rookie Award at Tokyo Film Festival for Role in 'Song Lang'
Lien Binh Phat has become the first Vietnamese actor to win a rookie award at the Tokyo International Film Fest (TIFF).
Kit Humphrey in Postcards
Hanoi Postcard No. 5: A Real Cold Fish
This week’s postcard is based on a real-life event: a sweet, thoughtful gesture that turned distinctly fishy.
Saigoneer Podcast: Our Take on 'The Bachelor'; Western Holidays in Vietnam; Combating Human Trafficking
Episode 33 of the Saigoneer Podcast is available now!
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 11: A Steaming Bowl
When dark clouds rumble in a frequency akin to that of an empty stomach, the city transforms into a bowl of soup.
Saigon Welcomes 5 Film Festivals This Month. What Are They and How to Get Tickets?
If you’re a movie buff in Saigon this month, you’re extremely lucky because a handful of film festivals will happen concurrently.
[Illustrations] Polish Watercolor Artist Captures Tokyo's Historic Shopfronts
There’s something about urban shopfronts that inspires artists everywhere to break out their canvas and doodle away.
10 Songs That Exemplify the Rise of Vietnam's Contemporary R&B/Soul Movement
In an industry where singers don’t stick to only one genre, Vietnamese R&B/Soul is often overlooked and sadly underdeveloped. While veteran artists like Mỹ Linh and Hà Anh Tuấn have occasionally profe...
[Video] Local Design Student Wins Graduation Showcase With Surrealistic Short Film
This short film might be the trippiest thing you see today.
