The Cultural Depths in Contemporary Hip-Hop Dance ‘129BPM: Động Phách Tách Kén’
Have you ever witnessed a live performance so powerful that it still lives in your mind weeks later? “129BPM: Động Phách Tách Kén” is not your usual hip-hop breakdance battle, but a contempo...
Severine Phương Trần's Debut Exhibition in Saigon Celebrates a World of Colors
Step into Severine Phương Trần’s first-ever exhibition in Saigon, where you can explore the artist’s inner world of vibrant colors and different emotions. To fully enjoy this exhibition, it is best to...
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.
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-sensor...
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...
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 an...
Vy Trịnh Takes Us 'On Da Dream' via Her Solo Exhibition at Galerie Quynh
Tough-looking, yet elegant metal ribbons spark, spill, move and occupy all corners of the empty space: up and down, left and right, and in countless directions. Through a new series of sculpture works...
A World in Turmoil via Mahdi Abdullah’s Exhibition 'Memory and Body Mythology'
How does an artist turn haunting memories into powerful artworks that speak for himself and on behalf of countless lives? Mahdi Abdullah’s paintings serve as social commentary on the realities that th...
'Slow/ed/ing Architecture': When Architects Ruminate on Architecture Together
The super cute duo that make up the design studio “Exutoire” are Bùi Quý Sơn and Paul-Antoine Lucas. Life and work partners, they moved back(ish) to Vietnam from Oslo last year, and are currently prep...
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
Get to Know the Dynamic Local Art Scene Alongside 'Saigon Art Journey'
“This is not a tour, remove that word from your minds. This is an interacting and exploring journey,” explained Angeline Gong, an experienced art host known by Saigon’s artists and galleries as Z-Gong...
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
At Bùi Chát's Painting Exhibition, a Freedom to Feel Without Preconceptions
Contemporary art can intimidate viewers. People often think they need familiarity with certain histories, theories, philosophies and biographies to appreciate a painting. I have friends who do not hav...
Nam Jam Festival Returns to Đà Nẵng With Week of Mural Arts
The Nam Jam Festival from March 4 to 10 invites more than 50 local and international street artists to create massive works of street art in Đà Nẵng.
TIMEZONES Podcast Spotlights Soundscapes, Sound Artists of Hanoi
The 18th episode of the TIMEZONES podcast series focuses on Hanoi's soundscape through the lens of three female artists. More carefully produced and artistically arranged than the average podcast...
Saigon-Based Artist Trần Trung Lĩnh Returns With Pop Art Exhibition
Following the resounding success of his previous exhibition, Saigon-based artist Trần Trung Lĩnh will present a freshly painted collection of paintings at an event this weekend.
In Dialogue With Trần Nữ Yên Khê on Her 'White Blank' Art Exhibition
Tran Nu YênKhê may be most well-known to Vietnamese audiences because of her unforgettable performances in Tran Anh Hung’s Vietnam Trilogy. However, in recent years, YênKhê has become increasingly est...
Bodies of Work Shred, Re-Shaped at 'White Noise' Exhibition
A dystopian setting where the human body appears scattered, its parts eerily dismembered, its desires and beliefs examined by the hands of a machine is fictionalized in the “White Noise” exhibition, n...
How Richie Fawcett's Saigon Sketches Illuminate a Decade of Change
It’s been hidden right there in the heart of Saigon for over half a decade.
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
In Huế, an Interdisciplinary Exhibition Opens Literal and Metaphorical Doors
“I cannot stop opening doors,” Phan Lê Hà said in regard to the physical objects that reappear throughout her creative works.
Trần Trung Lĩnh's Latest Art Collection Is an Homage to Saigon and Van Gogh
Van Gogh’s distinctive palette is perhaps one of the most recognizable personal styles in the art world, and viewers of Vietnamese artist Trần Trung Lĩnh’s artworks are sure to be amused to see these ...
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
Art Exhibition 'Ngẫu Biến' Invites Viewers to Find Their Own Meaning
“When you write, you go inside yourself, when you paint, you go outside,” said poet and painter ng. anhan.
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
A Memoir Ruminates on Saigon in the Now and via Childhood Memories
Born in Saigon in 1977, Tuan Phan and his parents left for America via boat in 1986. Remembering Water includes depictions of the voyage including lengthy stops in refugee camps followed by acclimatio...
After 4 Years, Krossing Over Arts Festival Returns to Saigon With a Week of Events
After a four-year hiatus, performing art extravaganza Krossing Over Arts Festival (KOAF) officially makes a comeback this April with a week of events to delight Saigon’s art lovers.
Marvel at These Ceramic Boots Created by Legendary Bát Tràng Artisan Vũ Đức Thắng
"The Bát Tràng Ceramic Boots. An Inspiration from Italy" exhibition will feature 12 ceramic boots created by artisan Vũ Đức Thắng, who blended Italian fashion and Bát Tràng craft traditions.
Digital Artist Transports Us Back to Hanoi Tramway’s Halcyon Days
Many Hanoians have seen historical photos of the capital’s lost tramway network, which was inaugurated in 1901. What began as a state-of-the-art electric tramway eventually fell into disrepair in the ...
Linh Ha's Ethereal Vocal Harmonies Push the Boundaries of Hanoi's Electronic Music Scene
When Linh Ha hosts Xom Nhac, Hanoi Social Club’s regular live music showcase, her electronic instruments, all sleek plastic and snaking black wires, lie on top of a silky floral scarf. The scarf is sp...
How Indie Book Publisher Bar De Force Marries Art, Literature and Translation
“A collision of literature and art on the pages” is the descriptor that Bar De Force, a Vietnamese independent press, gives itself.
'In Art We Trust,' a Propaganda Art Exhibition for Gender Equality
Last weekend, Heritage Space and Ơ Kìa Hà Nội held the exhibition “In Art We Trust” — a collection of propaganda art on gender equality — at the Goethe Institute.
Inside Á Space's Residency Program Where Emerging Artists Shine
Founded in May 2018, Á Space offers a safe haven for burgeoning young Vietnamese artists, offering them a platform to actualize their ideas while inviting them to participate in Hanoi’s contemporary a...
On an Eerie Night Tour Through Hell at 'Hù: Quả Báo' Art Exhibition
Have you ever wondered how those who steal designs or borrow without returning would repent for their sins in hell?
'The White Distance' Ruminates on the Pandemic Gaps Within Ourselves
The final exhibition of Heritage Space's annual contemporary international art exchange project, "Month of Art Practice - MAP 2021," will be on display in Hanoi until December 12.
A Striking Tapestry of Emotions in the Exhibition 'Postcards From the Pandemic'
“Postcards From the Pandemic,” a community exhibition organized by Work Room Four and Hanoi Grapevine, is on display in Hanoi from November 10 to 23. After days of seeking public contributions, the e...
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.
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...
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.
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 ...
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 — ...
Art That Outlives Us: The Paintings of Vietnamese American Artist Ann Phong
There are two things that disconcert older-generation Vietnamese Americans in Little Saigon from those around them: fusion food and the arts; both of which evoke nothing but strangeness. Intolerable s...
Chúng Ta Đang Nghịch Gì: Exhibition Explores How the Young Generation Perceives Life
“Chúng ta đang nghịch gì?”, or “What are we tricking?,” a multimedia exhibition currently showcasing at the Vincom Center for Contemporary Art (VCCA), presents 125 different artworks by over 100 artis...
Artist Trần Lâm Bình Moves Beyond the Shadow With Lacquer
Trần Lâm Bình’s new experiment with lacquer, sơn mài, offers a refreshing perspective into life during the pandemic, and Vietnamese identity in the context of globalization.
Đỗ Trọng Quý's Art Playfully Tells Viewers to 'Get the Hell out of This Place'
Đỗ Trọng Quý’s first solo show in Hanoi at Mo Art Space (136 Hang Trong), “One Endless Summer,” presents 26 of his most recent works during the past year.
An Ode to Vietnam’s Identity Amidst Modernization via 28 Years' Worth of Photos
Comprising 28 years' worth of photos, the Punk Dragon exhibition makes older visitors feel nostalgic and younger ones pause and think about changes.
Event Series Photo Hanoi ’21 Celebrates Storytelling Through a Camera's Lens
A major series of events dedicated to photography will be available to Hanoians interested in the craft starting this month.
Rapper Wowy Auctions off Blood Portrait to Raise Funds for Children's Hospital
A joint exhibition by rapper Wowy and artist Tuấn Andrew Nguyễn began last month with an auction that yielded hundreds of million of dong that will go towards humanitarian causes.
'The Humanimal' Exhibition Celebrates Artist Daos501's 15-Year Journey in Graffiti
The set of artworks titled "The Humanimal" by Daos501 — an established name in Vietnam's graffiti scene — brought the harmony between nature and humans to Interlink’s art event.
Q&A: Gallery Director Suzanne Lecht on the 'Gang of Five' and Building a House of Arts
Tucked in an alley south of Hai Ba Trung stands Suzanne Lecht’s glorious home, a magical abode crowned with an ancient nhà sàn from Mai Chau. After having lived there for more than 25 years,...
Weekend Stories: Contemporary Art Museum Debuts, Vietravel Airlines Flights and Metro Drama
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...
Vietnam's Art Fondling Epidemic and the Online Vigilante Policing It
There are many clumsy shoe prints beyond the foot-high metal boundary, next to a small sign that screams out in all caps: "PLEASE, DON’T TOUCH THE ARTWORK."
Citizen Earth Program Returns to Hanoi With Art, Culture, Science, and More
Citizen Earth is a Six Space project exploring art, culture, and education through a community lens. The year-long program brings together artists and researchers from various fields such as history, ...
Q&A: A History of Fading Colors — An Interview With Artist Quynh Lam
Nguyễn Đức Diễm Quỳnh (otherwise known as Quynh Lam) is a Vietnamese contemporary artist. She was trained early as a painter and was influenced by her family's traditional photography practices which ...
Culture Lab, a Creative Feast Spanning Disciplines, Media, and Even Physical Borders
In May this year, the Goethe-Institut of Hanoi initiated the project "Xưởng Văn Hoá" (Culture Lab) in an effort to support artists and their community during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Month of Arts Practice Returns to Hanoi With Virtual Lectures, Livestreamed Talks
For its fifth consecutive year, the annual “Month of Arts Practice” (MAP) is currently running from its base in Hanoi with a series of online events and a final exhibition opening on November 21.
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
Velvet Chains and Epaulet Couch: How a Curious Artist Plays With Symbols
What would it mean to sit on the shoulder-attached epaulet of a military uniform that denotes rank?
Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnam's Effort to Increase Fertility Rates; Visual Arts Curator Bill Nguyen
We're now 90 episodes old!
Vũ Nhật Tân, Vietnam's Composer and Artist Extraordinaire, Passes Away at 50
Vũ Nhật Tân, Hanoi’s adept producer, musician, and artist, died recently due to illness.
In 'Xem Đêm, Càng Đêm,' a Night Rendezvous Between Architecture and Visual Art
‘"...In the distance the stars Nearby, fireflies..."—Phùng Cung
Brian Letwin in Film & TV
[Videos] A 'Stranger Things'-Esque Hanoi Through the Lens of a VFX Artist
Narrow alleys have long been a defining characteristic of Vietnam’s cities, with many tracing their origins to the rice patty embankments that once crisscrossed an agricultural landscape.
Vietnam's London Design Biennale Artwork Now Available for Viewing in Hanoi
On display in Vietnam for the first time, installation work 'Khải' marked Vietnam's first participation in the London Design Biennale.
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
[Videos] A 'Stranger Things'-Esque Vietnam Through the Lens of a VFX Artist
Narrow alleys have long been a defining characteristic of Vietnam’s cities, with many tracing their origins to the rice patty embankments that once crisscrossed an agricultural landscape.
Vietnamese Curator Do Tuong Linh on Creating a Global South-Led Art Scene
Walking into the Vincom Center for Contemporary Art (VCCA) in Hanoi, visitors almost immediately encounter a fifty-foot line of dirt and small rocks. The pathway of sorts — which some visitors step ov...
Michael Tatarski in Architecture
From Nature, Vietnam Slowly Forges Its Own Brand of Contemporary Architecture
When it comes to architecture in Saigon, a tiny fraction of buildings receive the vast majority of attention.
An Artist’s Role in Debate at Vo Tran Chau’s Solo Exhibition on Heritage
Located at The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre in District 2, “Leaf Picking in the Ancient Forest” is artist Vo Tran Chau’s largest solo exhibition to date, and is currently on view from February 14 ...
In Tình Đầu Exhibition Space, a Home for Hanoi's Bohemian Young Artists
Nestled deep within labyrinthine alleyways in Hanoi’s Ba Đình District, Tình Đầu (first love), a studio-gallery run by a collective of Vietnamese artists, is growing a reputation as a home for the cap...
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.
Cong Tri Collaborates With 10 Artists to Showcase 20-Year Fashion Career
One of Vietnam’s most prominent fashion designers, Nguyen Cong Tri, will celebrate some of his best works from the last 20 years this month.
Saigon Independent Art Space San Art Launches Fundraising Exhibition This Month
Founded in 2007 by four artists including Dinh Q. Le, Tiffany Chung, Tuan Andrew Nguyen and Ha Thuc Phu Nam, the space is one of Saigon’s pioneer independent, non-profit and artist-initiated art platf...
Singapore Biennale Features Works by Vietnamese Artists Ngoc Nau, Le Quang Ha
If you happen to be in Singapore in the next few months, check out the works of Ngoc Nau and Le Quang Ha as part of the Singapore Biennale 2019.
Thi Nguyen in Music & Arts
In 'Method,' Performers Explore Contemporary Dance's Universe of Movements
On the day of my visit, the dancers of ‘Method’ were practicing an exercise that involves many people crashing into each other before they all proceed to fall to the ground; their movements resemble v...
[Photos] Spicing up the Typical Saigon Tube House With Geometry and Unusual Colors
The tube house is Saigon’s idiosyncratic architectural feature, but at times, their design can be woefully repetitive and uninspiring. Which makes them the perfect canvas for architects to exercise th...
Tran Kim Ngoc, a Pioneer of Experimental Music and Mixed-Media Art in Vietnam
Experimental music composer, mixed media artist, multi-instrumental performer, pianist and singer, theater-music composer, improvisational sound artist: describing the work of a key figure of the Viet...
Thi Nguyen in Music & Arts
Through Vietnam's Stories of Coffee and Rice, a Trio Finds Where Art and History Meet
Without notice, a gust of July rain swept through the museum of animals and plants' foyer, knocking down several paintings, strewing paper coffee cups and shattering the monitor that had been pla...
[Video] Hong Kong Ballet Dancers Take Over the City in This Surreal Short
Who said ballet has to be stuffy?
[Photos] Viettel's New Offside Studio Is a Fusion of Geometry and Nature
Viettel is one of Vietnam’s largest telecommunication companies. Mentions of its name usually conjure up the vision of a steadfastly traditional conglomerate that’s omnipresent but uninteresting. That...
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
[Photos] Krossing Over Arts Festival Wraps up a Striking Week of Performances
The third edition of the Krossing Over Arts Festival ended in Saigon on Thursday, capping a week of exciting workshops, artist talks and contemporary dance performances.
[Photos] Vo Trong Nghia's Latest 'House for Trees' Is an Urban Garden on a Budget
The latest in the "House for Trees" project, Vo Trong Nghia Architects' new structure fills a tight space with greenery on a budget.
Q&A: Six Space Founder Le Giang on the Hard Work of Contemporary Vietnamese Art
Hanoi-based visual artist Le Giang is an educator and co-founder of Six Space, an artist-run venue dedicated to exhibitions, workshops, film screenings and talks. Her practice spans installations, scu...
Empty Forest: Dissecting the Fraught Relationship Between Man and Animal
In April 2010, a ranger in Dong Nai Province’s Cat Tien National Park found a rhino skeleton with its horn chopped off. Illegal poachers had killed the last Javan rhinoceros on mainland Southeast Asia...
