Art Exhibition ‘Limerence’ Explores Where Romantic Desire Distorts Into Obsession
Thom Nguyen utilizes portraiture and depictions of mushrooms and organic objects to explore the concept of limerence in a solo exhibition at Permanently Closed Gallery in Thảo Điền, beginning Friday, August 28.
How Vinahouse Fosters Sonic Belonging in Modern Saigon's Queer Collectives
If you spend a night wandering along Bùi Viện Walking Street and its dense concentration of bars and clubs, you will almost certainly hear the same sound spilling from multiple directions: fast, pounding basslines layered with Vietnamese pop melodies, punctuated by dramatic buildups and explosive drops. If you fall into the right algorithm on TikTok, you might encounter these same sounds circulating as background audio. This music is Vinahouse. Its ever-presence in both physical and digital spaces makes it one of the most recognizable yet least critically examined musical forms in contemporary Vietnam.
Xuân Phương in Culture
Inside Tế Tiêu, Home to Vietnam's Rare 'Land Puppet' Performances
Bidding goodbye to central Hanoi, I took the National Road 21B to reach Tế Tiêu Neighborhood, a small community in Đại Nghĩa Township of Hanoi’s Mỹ Đức District. This fertile patch of land by the Đáy River is the cradle of a unique form of traditional folk art: Tế Tiêu puppetry.
How Quy Nhơn's Old Cemetery Slowly Expands up Vũng Chua Mountain
You might miss it if you were driving past, but once you walk down a small hẻm off Quy Nhơn’s main Tây Sơn Street, the massive cemetery sprawls in all directions.
All Aboard the Languorous 35-Hour Train From Hanoi to Saigon
The train connecting Vietnam’s largest cities takes 35 hours. Yet even after the first time I finished the trip, I was already coming up with excuses for why I needed to do it again. For me, the journey is much more than a chance for great views and time to reflect. It’s an exploration of life itself.
Short Film 'Mud Below, Sun Above' Reveals Daily Trials of Hanoi's Scrap Collectors
Đồng nát translates to “junk; broken materials,” but it is also a term used in northern Vietnam to describe the recycling workforce, 90% of whom are elderly women, that operate in a nation that produces 68,000 tons of solid waste every day.
Inside the Vivid, Soothing Art Realm of Vietnamese Illustration Artist Phuongsongdep
Using her keen observation and sensitive art intuition, Minh Phương creates a colorful realm through her brushstrokes, w...
Paul Christiansen in Culture
Learning to Ngồi Chồm Hổm Is a Simple Way for Anybody to Feel More Vietnamese
What is culture? For someone who writes for an arts and culture publication, you’d think I’d have a quick and clean answer, but the more I ruminate, the more I realize it comes down to a sloppy assemblage of habits, ephemera, and minutiae: eating preferences, holiday attire, styles of sneezes, methods for counting on one’s fingers, variety of fruits to gift and an endless string of social norms. Pile enough of these choices together, and you end up with a distinct culture.
Christie's Auctions Its First Made-in-Vietnam Lacquer Artwork in London
A handmade lacquer work designed by Tran Nu Yen Khe was part of an auction at Christie’s in London on Wednesday.
New York Exhibition 'After Darkness' Brings Southeast Asian Art to Light
New York has finally started showing Southeast Asian artists the appreciation they deserve, greatly benefiting the featured, as well as those interested in cross-cultural exploration.
[Video] How Vietnam's Male Fashion Has Changed Through the Decades
Ever wonder how Vietnam’s standards for male beauty have changed over the years?
[Video] A Múa Lân Performer on Becoming One With the Lion
Whether it's the eve of Tet or the Mid-Autumn Festival, the opening of a new business or some other auspicious occasion, Saigon’s lion dance troupes, like their counterparts across the country, a...
Khoi Pham in Arts & Culture
Retro Typeface 'Cotdien' Is an Homage to Vietnam's Old Hand-Drawn Signage
Vietnam’s sense of aesthetics is going through a retro revolution: from niche cafes playing nhạc vàng and an upcoming feature-length film on áo dài artisans to retrofitted album covers of to...
[Photos] Color and Lights: Tet Trung Thu on D5's Lantern Street
Every fall, District 5’s Luong Nhu Hoc Street becomes a melee of lanterns, kids’ toys and dragon dance paraphernalia ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
[Video] When Studio Ghibli's Totoro, Kiki and No-Face Roam Our World
Ever wondered what your life would be like if characters from Ghibli movies exist in the real world?
Dana Filek-Gibson in Arts & Culture
Board Game Van Tich Turns Vietnamese Legends Into Action Figures
Step into Nguyen Huu Tu’s office, and it’s pretty clear from the get-go how he feels about action figures. Running along one side of the room are several display cases, each housing an array of superh...
Vietnam Among First Countries to Screen Van Gogh Biopic 'Loving Vincent'
Local lovers of Van Gogh rejoice as Loving Vincent is announced to be released in October in a number of countries, including Vietnam.
[Photos] Vietnam's National Film Studio Is the Perfect Backdrop for a Horror Flick
Once the country’s most prestigious film institution, the Vietnam Feature Film Studio (VFS) is now a shadow of its glorious past self.
[Photos] Local Designer Puts International Pop Divas on Retro Saigon Album Covers
Vietnam’s crop of sterling photo manipulators strike again with a retro makeover of today's chart-topping female artists.
Katy Perry Showcases 3 Outfits by Local Designer Cong Tri During 'Witness' Tour
Vietnamese fashion designs are getting more and more attention on the international scene recently.
[Photos] Saigon’s Glass Paper Lantern Makers Are Back in Business
In an age where more than a few traditional Vietnamese handicrafts face extinction, a slew of orders have revived District 11’s Phu Binh lantern-making community ahead of this year’s Tet Trung Thu.
With Cambodian Release, ‘First They Killed My Father’ Could Be Eligible for Oscar Submission
As buzz grows around Angelina Jolie’s most recent directorial effort, First They Killed My Father, the film could become this year’s Oscar submission from Cambodia.
Award-Winning Vietnamese Graphic Novel ‘Long Than Tuong’ Released as English E-Book
The first volume of Vietnam’s award-winning graphic novel Long Than Tuong is now available as an English-language e-book.
Vietnamese Artisans, US Designer Collaborate for New York Fashion Week
Last weekend, as fashion-forward Saigoneers were lining up around the block to catch a glimpse of Vietnam’s first-ever H&M, one of the country’s own fashion businesses was making waves at New York Fas...
Thich Nhat Hanh Documentary 'Walk With Me' Out This Month in Global Theaters
Walk With Me is a new documentary centered on Vietnamese Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh. The feature, spanning one hour and twenty-eight minutes, focuses on Hanh's three years of monastic life b...
CGV Opens 50th Cineplex, Plans $200m Expansion in Vietnam by 2020
CJ CGV, the South Korean cinema chain that dominates Vietnam's theater market, plans to invest US$200 million in more outlets by 2020.
The Curious Recent Cases of Plagiarism in Vietnamese Art
Plagiarism not only runs rampant in Vietnam’s online creative industry, but also in more traditional art forms such as oil paintings and lacquer.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Arts & Culture
[Video] Coi: A Creative Plea for Less Horn-Honking on Saigon’s Streets
Vietnamese traffic has a bad reputation among both local and foreign drivers for its chaotic nature. From sidewalk driving to texting behind the wheel and creative interpretations of local street sign...
