Inside the Vivid, Soothing Art Realm of Vietnamese Ilustration 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.
Great Vietnam Resurrects Nguyễn-Era Fashion, One Traditional Costume at a Time
In the last four to five years, ancient Vietnamese costumes have gained more visibility, becoming a welcome sight among young locals thanks to the efforts to reproduce and promote historic fashion from a number of designers, brands, and interest groups that appreciate the country’s history and traditions.
In the Mekong Delta, Đồ Bộ Is Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
Despite its humble beginning as something worn just for convenience’s sake, đồ bộ has entered every minute of life in the Mekong Delta as a staple fashion choice that’s both flexible and colorful. Đồ bộ means “set outfit” in Vietnamese, a type of female casualwear made of soft, thin fabrics that often comes in a top and long bottom combo. They’re sometimes referred to as “Vietnamese pajamas,” but these comfortable sets can be worn at any time of the day and even outside, not just reserved for sleep like pajamas.
Nguyễn Đổng Chi's Classic Retelling of Vietnam's Fairy Tales, Now in English
Folklorist and anthropologist Nguyễn Đổng Chi dedicated decades to weaving a significant portion of Vietnam’s folklore tapestry. He collected, researched, and rewrote over 200 Vietnamese folktales from all corners of the country. His work, initially scattered across five volumes published individually and consecutively over 25 years, appeared as a complete anthology in 1982. Guided by a comprehensive treatise of Vietnamese folktale, Chi’s Kho tàng truyện cổ tích Việt Nam (Treasury of Vietnamese Folk Tales) might be daunting for readers drawn to Vietnamese folklore but disenchanted by rigorous academic discourse.
Kit Humphrey in Travel
In Thổ Hà Village, Rice Paper Spills Onto the Streets and Wraps Around Daily Life
A few hours after sunrise in the small village of Thổ Hà, Bắc Giang Province, alleyways morph into picturesque tunnels of drying rice paper, while ladies toast crackers over fire in the streets.
Carol Kim Brings to Life Rare Performance of 'Tại Vắng Anh' Thanks to Saigon Jazz Revival
The rich, bluesy ‘Tại vắng anh,’ written by Tuấn Khanh, was performed by Carol Kim this past November at Saigon Jazz Revival's inaugural concert in New Orleans.
Cliché or Parody? Orientalist Readings of Nam Le’s ‘36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem’
One may be surprised to learn that Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning novel The Sympathizer was rejected by 13 out of 14 publishers before its eventual publication. He describes in an interview why he believes his novel was rejected by all but one publisher he submitted to: “I knew in writing the novel that I was deliberately not doing what I was supposed to do as an Asian American writer, which is [...that] you have to end on a note of Americanization. You have to end on an embrace of the American dream, explicitly or implicitly. And the novel does not do that.” He comments elsewhere along similar lines, “I refuse[d] to subscribe to dominant American narratives and mythologies that allow someone like me a very narrow space to speak.”
[Photos] Man Creates Incredibly Detailed, Miniature Version Of Hue In Saigon
Ready to be impressed? Nguyen Thanh Tung who hails from Hue, but lives in Saigon, found a creative way to avoid homesickness – over 7 years, he created a 1,000 square meter model of his hometown, down...
New Book Shows Saigon’s Strong Contrasts Through Photos
Saigon is a city of contrasts so it’s fitting that a Vietnamese writer, Linh Cu and graphic designer, Mai Nguyen got together to create a photo book, Contrasts of Saigon.
Brian Letwin in Culture
[Video] Beware Of The Tobacco Bong (Điếu Cày)
The tobacco bong (điếu cày) is a popular companion for everyone from café-goers to parking attendants in Vietnam who are looking for a greater high than normal cigarettes provide, or simply a strong d...
Brian Letwin in Culture
[Video] This Is What Happens When Tourists Are Asked To Speak Vietnamese
A hard a time as expats in Vietnam have pronouncing the local language, after a while, most of us are able to learn the basics. But as we see in this video from Nguyen McHung, the language was not des...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
[Video] “Enter Pyongyang” Hyperlapse Offers A Look At Life In North Korea’s Capital
You may remember the Rob Whitworth’s award-winning film, Traffic in Frenetic HCMC, Vietnam (2012), a culmination of 10,000 RAW images and multiple shots which perfectly captured the energy and spirit ...
CreativeDrinks #2 @ 3A Station
From the organizer: "Sure, everyone knows what a brand is. Coke, Pepsi, McDonald’s. But that buzzword is getting thrown around a whole lot in career and job search conversations these days, too. And y...
Photographer Spotlight: Dinh Q. Lê
Photography has been, over the past 180 years, one of the most misjudged artistic mediums. Some consider it a way to simply record the surface of reality, indiscriminately used by the masses. After al...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Event Rewind: Saigon Artbook Edition 4
After three successful releases of the Saigon Artbook, the team held a launch event at The Cube last Thursday to celebrate the 4th edition of the book that celebrates local artists.
Where to Find Disappearing Old Books in Saigon
There is a German proverb – "Alle guten dinge sind drei" – which refers to the joy gained from one’s efforts. Living in the digital age, we are blessed – or cursed, depending on your point o...
[Photos] Wealthy Yen Bai Man Builds Extravagant Mountain Tomb
Taking a page out of the book of the Egyptian Pharaohs, a Yen Bai man is constructing a massive, VND15 billion tomb on the side of a mountain.
[Video] Local Students Make Impressive 3D Film On Retro Saigon
This local indie film, “Balloon” is worth 4 minutes of your eyes, ears and mind.
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Finger Food: Sushi Nail Art Is A Thing In Japan
Recently Nails have become a popular canvas for artistic expression, displaying everything from circuit boards to Grumpy Cat. But leave it Japan to take things to the next level.
Brian Letwin in Culture
[Video] A Day in the Life of a Saigon Street Masseur
You’ve no doubt heard ringing bottle caps, the calling card of Saigon’s street masseurs, outside your door in the evening hours. These men ride around the city till the morning light, hoping to put a ...
[Photos] Optimus Prime Appears In Saigon In Motorbike Form
On the morning of August 3 at a coffee shop on Trần Phú Street (District 5), pedestrians were shocked to find a transformer disguised as a Yamaha Exciter.
Brian Letwin in Film & TV
[Video] Help Fund A New Documentary On Hanoi’s Zone 9
You’re probably familiar with Zone 9, a group of former factory buildings that were converted into shops, bars and art spaces early last year. But just as the complex was hitting its stride, all of it...
Narrow The Gap: Increasing Access To Education In Vietnam
Founded to support local not-for-profit organizations, volunteers and donors to have an equal chance to contribute their time to improve ongoing social issues, Narrow the Gap Community Fund is LIN’s (...
Brian Letwin in Culture
[Video] Day Dreamers: A Day in the Life of a Saigon Hipster
As Vietnam becomes increasingly connected to global trends, the country’s 20-somethings have embraced everything from rap to graffiti art.
Startup Seeks To Change The Way You Experience Hanoi And Beyond
Soundwalk is a location-based audio tour: as you walk around the city, you hear sounds as you pass through the streets, presenting a fundamentally different urban experience.
[Video] "Memories Of Vietnam" Shows The Country Through A Poetic Lens
Earlier this yeah, Léo Bigiaoui and his friends traveled across Vietnam for a month, filming in Sapa, Hanoi, Cat Ba Island, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An and Phu Quoc.
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
5 Funky Illustrated Maps of Vietnam
They Draw & Travel is a website for artists to express that passion, and for readers to discover their creations by creating their own artistic maps.
