Paul Christiansen

in Travel

Art, Flowers Bloom at Huế’s Hidden Museum, Lebadang Memory Space

People often think that art is distant and difficult to appreciate, but a garden is different; everyone knows how to admire a flower.

in Culture

In Nam Định, a Village Goes All out in Festivities to Honor Their Holy Ancestor

Comprising a range of ceremonies and traditional activities reflective of Vietnam’s rice-growing culture, Keo Hành Thiện Pagoda’s annual festival is a momentous occasion for locals to pay respect to their community’s Đức Thánh Tổ (Holy Ancestor) — Zen master Dương Không Lộ — as well as his religious importance and good deeds.

in Quãng 8

Synths, Dreams, and French Culture: Inside Vietnamese Duo Coïncidence's 1st EP

“When we finally finished the project, I was just like ‘Yay, we’re done!’ Then I went to sleep to go to work tomorrow. I guess life just goes by like that,” recalled Thông, a member of Coïncidence, regarding when he wrapped up production for the band’s debut EP “Không Ngủ Quên.”

in Music & Arts

Group Exhibition ‘In Absence, Presence’ Awakens Multi-Sensory Experience

Looking upward, downward, left and right, we follow an invisible yet powerful flow of energy in the dark, then carefully gaze at the artworks as if they are living entities. To enjoy this multi-sensory experience, it is best to slowly spend time with each artwork with a concentrated mind and without looking for an immediate context from it. Let our imagination roam freely, and embrace all the emotions and memories resurfacing within us.

in Music & Arts

Tử Mộc Trà Nurtures Her Family Bond With Textile Into Installation Artworks

Tử Mộc Trà, whose real name is Phạm Thùy Dương, is a young artist born and raised in Hanoi. Her artistic pursuit was nurtured by an innate sense of creativity, family traditions, and her time spent on the road traveling.

Paul Christiansen

in Literature

5 Books by Vietnamese Authors Centered on Strong Female Protagonists

Literature, more than any other art form, allows people an intimate vantage point from which to witness the experiences, emotions, and thoughts of individuals drastically different from themselves. Books thus hold the unparalleled power to inspire, foster empathy, and expand one’s understanding of the human condition. 

Paul Christiansen

in Loạt Soạt

In 'Water: A Chronicle,' Nguyễn Ngọc Tư Wades Into the Mekong via Vignettes

“When you’ve lived to a certain age, you don’t ask whether or not something is true, you ask which truth it is.”

in Music & Arts

In Action Together During Traveling Art Week Nổ Cái Bùm 2024

Taking place in Đà Nẵng and Hội An earlier in August 2024, the traveling art week Nổ Cái Bùm 2024 became a platform for local artists to showcase artworks, and attracted the attention of many local and international participants. From a museum space to a bar or cafe corner, from a beach site to a theater — any site can become a space for exhibitions, talks, screenings and performances.

Back Arts & Culture

in Film & TV

[Photos] Japan Releases New Sketches of Upcoming Ghibli Theme Park

A cafeteria containing Spirited Away's ghostly food stalls, a full-size version of the house where Mei and Satsuki lived when they first met Totoro, and an interactive version of the Irontown tha...

in Culture

An Artist's Intimate Portraits of Genderfunk's Collective Energy

The collective of drag artists and performers known as Genderfunk has been creating safe spaces for local queer creatives and blowing the minds of Saigon’s denizens for nearly two years, and they are ...

in Film & TV

Netflix Star Comic Iliza Shlesinger to Perform in Saigon, Hanoi This Month

American stand-up comedian Iliza Shlesinger gained popularity after she became the first woman and the youngest comedian to win NBC’s talent competition Last Comic Standing.

in Literature

Two Vietnam Poems by Hoa Nguyen, Inspired by Saigon Ghost Stories

Vietnam Ghost Story: High School Clock Tower and Vietnam Ghost Story: Towers of District 5

in Music & Arts

[Illustrations] An Art Book of Watercolor Saigon Sketches 3 Years in the Making

How envious we are of those who can render in great detail paper scenes that otherwise could only be accessed through one’s memory.

in Culture

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 chi...

in Postcards

Saigon Postcard No. 21: The Year of the Rat Wedding

They say it's bad to get married during your year on the Lunar Calendar. 

in Film & TV

21 Studio Ghibli Films Are Coming to Netflix Vietnam in the Next 3 Months

In the upcoming months, Ghibli aficionados in Vietnam will be able to stream their favorite flicks right at home.

Michael Tatarski

in Music & Arts

Art Platform S.E.A. Focus Brings Together 20 Galleries From Vietnam, Asia

In its second year, the art platform brought together 20 galleries from across Asia and beyond, highlighting a diverse range of contemporary Asian artists in one space.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Tet Food Improvements and Writer Nguyen Phan Que Mai

The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is available now!

in Film & TV

Ken Burns Docuseries Required to Pay $30,000 in Royalties to Vietnamese Composer

Producers of the popular American documentary series didn't pay the composer because his song was produced 50 years ago, and they assumed he had passed away.

in Music & Arts

1980s German Pop Duo Modern Talking to Perform in Hanoi This March

The once-hugely successful 1980s West Berlin pop band are set to play a gig in Hanoi's National Convention Center. 

Thi Nguyen

in Music & Arts

Fashion, Contemporary Art Ruminations Intermingle in Designer Cong Tri's 'Cục Im Lặng'

Cuc Im Lang, the latest exhibition from renowned fashion designer Nguyen Cong Tri, presented ten collections spanning his 20-year career through the lens of ten contemporary artists across different m...

Khoi Pham

in Culture

[Illustrations] The Mythological Race That Created Vietnam's Zodiac, Retold in Watercolor

After 12 years, Vietnam’s zodiac cycle will once again reset to welcome the Year of the Mouse, the first animal in the dozen.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnam's Decade in Review

Our latest podcast episode is out now!

in Culture

[Photos] A Night With Kim Lee, the Only Vietnamese Drag Queen in Poland

There are only around 30 drag queens in Poland, and just one of them has Vietnamese roots: Kim Lee.

in Culture

A Night With Kim Lee, the Only Vietnamese Drag Queen in Poland

There are only around 30 drag queens in Poland, and just one of them has Vietnamese roots: Kim Lee.

in Music & Arts

Amid Contemporary Colonial Nostalgia, New Printmaking Exhibition Deconstructs Indochina's Legacy

Contemporary artist Le Giang’s latest exhibition dissects Indochina’s legacy in the public imagination via a series of prints, a sound installation and a painting.

in Music & Arts

[Video] Son Doong Cave Stars in DJ Alan Walker's Latest Single 'Alone, Pt. II'

The video for EDM DJ Alan Walker's song 'Alone Pt. II' featuring Ava Max includes footage of northern Vietnam's Trooc and Chay rivers, Tra Ang Bridge, Doong mountain village, and En, Son Doong and Nuo...

in Music & Arts

The Masterful Urban Symbolism of 'Turn Left, Turn Right' Author Jimmy Liao

Jimmy Liao is a prolific Taiwanese illustrator and author who has expanded readership of picture books beyond children to general audiences. With sensitivity and creativity, he crafts each of his stor...