Nguyễn Bình Phương's Magical Realism Tale Revels in Absurdity
“Clip-clop, clip-clop.” So goes the sound of the water buffalo hooves pulling a wagon through the highlands against the magenta sky of an unending sunset. The wagon is guided by a nameless driver, and onboard are three travelers: a veteran referred to as “the Man” and two other younger men.
I Grew up Among Ducks in the Mekong Delta. They Always Remind Me of Home.
On a recent ritual walk around my suburb, I was held up by the sight of a middle-aged man with his “fur kid.” I introduced myself and when he heard the word “Vietnam,” his eyes lit up and with a smile as he tumbled out the words: “The Mekong Delta. Ducks.”
In Hien's Debut Album, a Self-Discovery Journey Through Vietnam, Hungary and the US
After a decade writing and gathering materials, Hien recently published her debut album, “Trăng Qua.”
‘Echoes of Tonkin’ Exhibition Challenges Clichéd Narratives of 20th-Century Vietnamese Art
“Echoes of Tonkin: Vietnamese Modern Art” opens in Hong Kong to challenge reductive narratives and clichés about 20th-century Vietnamese art.
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
Art Project ‘The Lottery of Forgotten Dreams’ Is a Wild Alchemy of Vé Số and Photography
Vé số ticket number 984430 yields a magenta fish contorting atop a ghostly image of an apartment high-rise in Tân Phú in “The Lottery of Forgotten Dreams – Topographies of the Unseen,” an art project by photographer Christian Berg. The experimental project, available to view in full online, employs computer technology to combine photography, numerology, and mythology and playfully reimagine how one visualizes Saigon.
In MARG1N, a Resolute Return to Print Media That Dissects Southeast Asian Cinema
The joy of reading, for most of my life, had been primarily grounded in the joy of learning, feeling, and thinking through words, independent of medium. That is, until college, when I found myself repeatedly longing for Thursday mornings, when the week’s freshly printed student newspaper would arrive neatly folded and stacked, ready to be spread over the dining-hall table like wrapping paper. I came to realize then that the joy of reading was not simply about words; it was also about the tactile touch of paper and of the inexplicable satisfaction of flipping through pages bigger than my hands could reasonably manage.
By Preserving Tradition, Honoring Creativity and Showcasing Sustainability, Young Vietnamese Chefs Excel at Ngon Challenge by Marriott International
The glossy menus, sleek decor, and iconic logos of international hotel restaurants often obscure the human stories behind each dish. While catering to global guests, these restaurants often serve meals with origins in family kitchens and regional culinary traditions. Young, local chefs balance nostalgic associations with contemporary techniques and creative expression to create these menus. Returning for its second year this past September, Ngon Challenge continued to celebrate and nurture Vietnamese culinary talent across Marriott International’s hotels and resorts in Vietnam.
Review: ‘Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell’ Is a Soul-Searching Mission in the Lâm Đồng Mist
On the pastures of slow cinema where Andrei Tarkovsky, Tsai Ming-liang and Theo Angelopoulos reside, Phạm Thiên Ân's debut feature, Bên Trong Vỏ Kén Vàng (Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell), has made its mark as a notable entry for its distinctly Vietnamese vistas, tones and essence.
Saigoneer Podcast: The Bitexco Tower Opens; Street Names v. Food Names
Another new Saigoneer Podcast episode is available for your listening pleasure.
Elise Luong in Music & Arts
Meet Little Peanut, the Star of Hanoi's Experimental Puppetry Performances
Last year, on a fine autumn day, I was lucky to witness Little Peanut taking her first steps in the attic-cum-rehearsal-studio of the Hanoi based experimental theater group Mắt Trần Ensemble.
Saigoneer Podcast: The Value of Bike Baskets; Should Saigon Go Under- or Above-Ground?
A new Saigoneer Podcast episode is out now!
Uyên Đỗ in Culture
The Mud-Tastic Fun of An Giang's Cattle Race Festival
Every year when the 8th lunar month comes around, people from different walks of life gather in the land of Seven Mountains (Bay Nui) to immerse themselves in the jubilant atmosphere of the bare,...
Mầm in Quãng 8
Pain, Hazard Clique's 'Big Brother,' on the Trio's Formation and Friendship
If you consider yourself acquainted with the local rap and hip-hop scene, you probably have Pain aka Đại Ca P on your listening radar. As one part of the creative trio Hazard Clique, this charismatic ...
How to Make a Bamboo Basket Boat, as Demonstrated by Phú Yên Artisans
As part of the sweltering south-central coast, Phu Yen Province has cultivated strong roots in the arts of gathering and rearing seafood.
Literary Journal Áo Trắng Ceases Operations Today After 31 Years
Once a home for aspiring young writers to take their very first steps on their journey towards literary finesse, Áo Trắng will now close its doors for good.
Saigoneer Podcast: The Demise of the Saigon Tax Center; Old v. New Photos of Vietnam
It's time for the second season of the podcast!
How a Hanoi Collective Found Audio-Visual Beauty in Bamboo and Red River Soil
Traditional music in Vietnam is a complex fabric woven of many threads. Some strands extend hundreds of kilometers across the country and others reach across borders and oceans to nearby neighbors.
The Artist Making a Miniature Saigon Out of Lego Blocks
If a bowl of hủ tiếu were the size of a Lego brick, how many hủ tiếu would you have?
The Timeless Beauty of Vietnamese Women in Mai Trung Thứ’s Legacy
Mai Trung Thứ, who lived from 1906 to 1980, was a remarkable Vietnamese artist who graduated from the Indochina Fine Arts College.
Film Adaptation of Mạc Can's 'Tấm Ván Phóng Dao' Wins Award at Busan Project Market
If Wood Could Cry, It Would Cry Blood was awarded the ArteKino International Award as part of the 2021 Busan International Film Festival.
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
Nocturnal Animals Music Livestream Series Unites Artists for Pandemic Relief
While bars and nightclubs remain closed, a special monthly livestream series starting tomorrow will give those of us in Vietnam the chance to experience nightlife without leaving the house.
Elise Luong in Music & Arts
Can Street Art Help Restore One of Hanoi's Poorest Communities?
Can street art lead to urban restoration? Or is it wilful gentrification? In February 2020, the Phuc Tan Public Art Project officially opened — the work on display offers engaging art and stirs up int...
Uyên Đỗ in Music & Arts
The Zoologist Who Makes Animal Origami out of Vietnam's Banknotes
What if you could make art with just VND200?
Linh Pham in Music & Arts
Hanoi Photographer Marcus Lacey: 'To Photograph a Subject Well, Learn From How It Was Painted'
Marcus Lacey’s first experience in Hanoi was sitting in a bia hơi for seven hours.
A Nguyễn Văn Tỵ Artwork Is up for Sale in Hong Kong. His Family Says It's Fake.
Nguyễn Văn Tỵ's family claims he never produced the lacquer screen of a jackfruit tree that was recently put up for bidding.
Paul Christiansen in Quãng 8
Kim Chi Sun and Charles on the Evolution of Good
"I haven’t lost myself yet, but there are many new angles of me, new realizations; there are some new feelings, new vibes I want to share with you. I want to open up to you," Kim Chi Sun says to her l...
Phi Nhung, Bolero and Folk Songstress, Passes Away at 51 Due to Covid-19
Over the years, the resurgence in popularity of bolero music in Vietnam has spawned numerous new stars, but Phi Nhung’s place in the genre as a veteran chanteuse can never be replaced.
Vietnamese Novel 'The Mountains Sing' Honored by Prestigious US Peace Prize
The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai was named the runner-up for this year's Dayton Literary Peace Prize in the fiction category.
