Nguyễn Bình Phương's Tale of Magical Realism 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.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 14: The City's Original Insurgents
Before bombs and boobie traps, guerilla offenses and ambushes, Vietnam had another means of driving invaders out.
Abstract Art Exhibition Examines Rural-Urban Divide From Two Perspectives
On February 20, VICAS Art Studio opened its latest exhibition, the endearingly named ‘EM CHÀO CÁC BÁC!’ (‘HI THERE, CITY FOLKS!’) Featuring new paintings from artists Doan Xuan Tung and Nguyen Nghia C...
Michael Tatarski in Film & TV
[Video] Short Film 'Sigh Gone' Depicts Love Lost, With a Twist
Have you ever felt completely at sea, hopelessly lost? A new Saigon-set short video from Vietnamese-American director Jeannie Nguyen depicts a day in the life of a young woman facing this situation.
[Illustrations] A Stamp Design Project Pays Homage to Women Across Vietnam
Tu Bac Dzo Nam is a project by graphic designer Huu Danh, who is known for his works on Sai Gon Sau Vai.
[Video] Streets of Saigon: A Montage of Cho Lon's Food Trail
Street (n.): a sprawl of cement, stone, pavement or dirt splayed across a stretch of earth that has been smoothed, stripped of plants and serves as a communal transport path and thus a stage for the v...
Meet Myra Tran, the Vietnamese Girl Who's Taking 'American Idol' by Storm
You’ve probably heard it by now, but the latest season of American Idol has a Vietnamese contestant, and she’s kicking ass.
Khoi Pham in Culture
A New Typeface That Was Built From Designs on Old Book Covers
Finding new values from old relics is a popular way some young creatives today are keeping old Vietnam aesthetics alive.
Kit Humphrey in Music & Arts
[Video] Paying Tribute to Quán Cầm, 60 Square With Những Đứa Trẻ
Earlier this month, Hanoians were left heartbroken when waving farewell to much-loved art quarter Sixty Square, which closed for good on February 15. We're releasing this music video of ...
Paul Christiansen in Literature
A Radio Program Puts Vietnamese Poetry in the Limelight With Bilingual Readings
"Lanterns Hanging on the Wind" features 18 poems read in Vietnamese and translated into English that span themes, styles, time periods and locations to give listeners a broad introduction to the natio...
Open Call for Hanoi's 'Pure Gold' Upcycling Exhibition Running Until Next Week
Earlier this month, Germany’s IFA (Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations), in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut and Heritage Space, announced an open call for designers, producers, makers, art...
Kit Humphrey in Postcards
Hanoi Postcard No. 7: The 5th Season
Between autumn's cinnamon light and spring’s galvanic skies, a new season gathers. Formed by human hands, it is capricious at best, invasive at worst. It adheres to no calendar, yet lives in all of us...
The New Season of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Features a Vietnamese-American Queen
RuPaul's Drag Race, an American drag queen reality TV show hosted by host RuPaul, recently announced their lineup of drag queens for Season 11.
Kit Humphrey in Culture
Scaling the Dragon: An Urbexer's Guide to Long Bien Bridge
Urban exploration, urbex or UE, is a form of recreational urban trespass. Urbexers find a way into anything from derelict theme parks, sewers and asylums to factories, skyscrapers, missile silos and p...
Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnam's Many Lunar Calendar Festivals; Familial Pressure During Holidays
The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is available now!
Khoi Pham in Music & Arts
A Playful Project Uses Pigs to Showcase Vietnam Iconography Through History
Year of the pig is a gift that keeps on giving.
Gucci Is Selling a $450 Hat That Looks Just Like Straw Hats Worn by Farmers in Vietnam
The artificial bamboo hats by Gucci closely resemble those traditionally worn by Vietnamese in the rice fields. The only difference is that the Vietnamese version costs only a few thousand dong.
Saigon Music Collective Launches Project to Introduce Classical Music to Youth
"Introduction to Classical Music" is initiated by Saigon Classical, a group of 30 musicians who share a love for classical music.
[Photos] The Costumes of This New Nguyen Dynasty Historical Web Series Will Make You Swoon
The web series is expected to be released in late 2019 on YouTube.
Saigoneer Podcast: Redesigning Saigon's Parks; Recreation in the City
We're back from our Tet break!
[Photos] A Wintry Japan Through the Lens of Photographer Yusuke Komatsu
Enveloped by the elements, Japan’s capital is both mystifying and enchanting.
