Chris Humphrey in Travel
'Living Hanoi' Series by Joseph Gobin Delves Into the Capital's Eccentricities
Is there a photographic format more suitable for capturing Hanoi's abundantly complex and alluring culture than the crystalline clarity of medium format film?
Guilt, Mortality, and Hope in 'Khát Vọng Cho Con' by Poet Du Tử Lê
“We are like fruits forcefully ripened, a generation of premature adults, a generation of misery.”— Du Tử Lê.
Vietnam's Central Highlands Imagined in ‘Angin Cloud’ at National Gallery Singapore
Amidst shifting social currents, industrialized landscapes, and a fast-paced world, how does a community preserve its heritage, rewrite histories, and confront colonial legacies? In this long-term collaboration with the Jrai community, ‘Angin Cloud’ by Art Labor explores these questions through a multi-floor installation at National Gallery Singapore that poetically intertwines Gia Rai (Jrai) beliefs, traditions, and environmental change.
Music Is My Release: Behind the Anger That Fuels the Fiercely Indie Group COCC
“I don’t make happy songs,” says Phúc, the lead singer and guitarist of Saigonese rock group COCC. He and I are sitting in the middle of the band’s “cave” — a homemade recording studio they began putting together ten years ago. “I dreamed about it for a long time,” Phúc says of the studio. “In 2015, when I finished this house, the vision came true. We invest in it all the time, buy a little bit here, buy a little bit there. We’re still adding and improving the system and the equipment.”
Paul Christiansen in Culture
The Harrowing History of Vietnam's Rubber Plantations
"Oh it’s easy to go to the rubber and hard to return, / Men leave their corpses, women depart as ghosts."
How Thoughtful Design Boosts Educational Outcomes: Australian International School Undergoes Multi-Million-Dollar Renovations
According to a 2018 study by the University of Salford in Manchester, carefully considered classroom environments can impr...
Paul Christiansen in Literature
Korean Culture Has Stolen Vietnam's Hearts. What About Korean Literature?
If you were a book publisher and saw a sudden spike in sales for a book published years ago, how would you explain it?
'I Wander Alone' and 'Your Shirt Button,' Two Poems by Nguyễn Quang Thân
“You told me not to look at you, it’s silly / Yet I want to gnaw you the way I gnaw bread ... the pack of ravenous dogs looked at me with night sea eyes / I wish they could gnaw me piece by piece.”
To Celebrate the Olympics, Japanese Artists Reimagine National Flags as Anime Fighters
As nations gather in Tokyo for the summer Olympics, a group of Japanese artists have shown their support by creating anime characters based on the participating countries' flags.
Chris Humphrey in Music & Arts
Review: On Debut EP 'Low,' Ho Tram Anh Sings Like a Poet Laureate for the Disconnected
Is anyone else in Hanoi creating music as stark and affecting as Ho Tram Anh?
Giang Còi, Hanoi's Beloved Actor and Comedian, Passes Away at 59
Last night, beloved actor Lê Hồng Giang, commonly known by his stage name Giang Còi, passed away after months of battling with cancer.
The World at Your Fingertips: How Vietnamese Studios Lead the Art of Artisan Keycaps
Although custom keycaps are somewhat of a recent development in Vietnam, some local artisan studios have become key players in making these tech-art fusions that bring the world to your fingertips.
Vietnam's Art Spaces Find Silver Linings in Moving Online Amid Pandemic
When in February 2020, Đỗ Tường Linh’s exhibition "Foliage III," a celebration of Global South-led art, wrapped up at the Vincom Centre for Contemporary Art, so did most other events in Vietnam’s art ...
Vietnam's Female Comics Show How to Unapologetically Be Yourself on Stage
In recent years, Vietnamese women have gained a foothold in Vietnam’s comedy scene, despite it largely being dominated by men. But as the industry grows, the evidence of a gender gap seems to be incre...
Hanoi Indie Band Bluemato Launches Crowdfunding Campaign for First-Ever Music Video
Following the release of their first album “Gió Thổi Mạnh” earlier this year, Bluemato is reaching out to fans and friends again with a crowdfunding campaign to make their first-ever music video for '...
This New Vietnamese Lo-Fi Video Is Making Us Feel All Sorts of Emotions
After countless hours spent doing assignments alongside the OG Lofi Girl, Vietnamese netizens might find this new study companion an especially poignant addition to their daily routine.
Adrien Jean in Music & Arts
What Happens When Artists Turn a Fishing Village Into Their Canvas?
Imagine if your home village was suddently transformed into a giant canvas for murals.
Pháo Drops New MV for TikTok Smash Hit '2 Phút Hơn' Featuring Tyga
The song, which became a massive success thanks to its use in TikTok videos, is getting even more attention with the addition of the Californian rapper.
Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnam's Massive Outbreak; Acts of Lockdown Kindness
Take a break from doomscrolling and listen to the first Saigoneer Podcast episode in two months.
On the Idea of Home: Reflections From Another Covid-19 Summer
I’m writing this to remember another Covid summer. Today, Saigon continues the second round of social distancing.
How An Trần Learns to Embrace the Saxophone and Life in the Limelight
I set up an interview with An Tran at the most awkward time: 11pm on a Sunday.
Mầm in Music & Arts
Missing Saigon? Live Vicariously Through These Tender Illustrations by a Filipino Artist.
Having lived and worked in Saigon for two and a half years, Daniel Ansel Tingcungco, a Filipino artist, created a collection of paintings illustrating 100 beloved views of the city. The project, title...
'Thưa Mẹ Con Đi' Producer Nguyễn Lương Hằng on Her Hopes for Vietnam's Indie Cinema
Nguyễn Lương Hằng is Zoom-ing in from Austin, Texas, to a town in northern Italy because she wants to make a film in her native Vietnam. Welcome to the world of independent Asian cinema.
Vietnamese Designer Pursues Fresh Approach to Making History Known
Self-taught graphic designer Michael Angle is passionate about Vietnam’s history and wants to spread that love to everybody.
Revisit the Legend of Hoàn Kiếm via Stunning Illustrations by Artist Rồng Phạm
At the heart of Hanoi is Hồ Hoàn Kiếm with a legend that has been told countless times.
Horror Flick 'Người Thì Thầm' Bags Awards at International Film Festivals
Another Vietnamese film gets lauded overseas.
Saigon Artist Đoàn Quốc Takes Watercolor Paintings to Whole New Heights
As one of the few Vietnamese nationals to have been granted the title of International Watercolor Master, young artist Đoàn Quốc is constantly pushing the frontiers of his creativity to paint a new pa...
Ảo Ảnh: Art Show by Lê Brothers Explores Violence History and Connections
“Ảo Ảnh," or “Illusion," an independent exhibition by the artist duo Lê Brothers, will be running at Mơ Art Space from July 18. The Quang Binh-born, Hue-based artists — Lê Ngọc Thanh and Lê Đức Hải — ...
