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 childhood in a small house nestled under a coconut grove on the outskirts of Bạc Liêu in the Mekong Delta. Those were days of hardship, yet my parents worked hard so that Tết could bloom magnificently for all of us.
A Damaged Masterpiece Reveals How Much We Take Our Cultural Heritage for Granted
A once-damaged national treasure remains on view as if nothing had happened, while other works are displayed with little context — what does this tell us about how art museums preserve Vietnam's cultural heritage and shape our art history narratives today?
In 'Đêm Giao Thừa' EP, a Đàn Tranh Artist Offers Novel Twists on Nostalgic Tết Sounds
Indie đàn tranh artist Brian Bùi has just released Đêm Giao Thừa, an EP containing energetic covers of three classic Tết songs and an original track that pays homage to styles from the 1960s and 1970s.
Khôi Phạm in Culture
Unraveling the Mystery Behind the 'Mùi Việt Kiều' of My Childhood
My favorite candy used to be Hershey’s Kisses. Wrapped in colorful, sparkling foil, these little nubs of decadence made me feel special as a child, not just because of their sugary sweetness, but also because, for much of Vietnam’s contemporary history, you could only enjoy them if you have relatives abroad.
When Lịch Bloc Is Gone, What Will Vietnam Use to Keep Discarded Fish Bones?
I have never bought a lịch bloc, or tear-off calendar, for personal use, because every new year, I'm bound to be gifted a brand-new one. In Vietnam, a calendar is often something one purchases as a present for others.
The Year of the Horse Gallops into The Grand Ho Tram
Inspired by the spirit of the horse, The Grand Ho Tram encourages you to have a year of success, confidence, and new horizons. Traditional Tết performances and activities alongside special feasts and opportunities for revelry will usher in a year of remarkable achievements and memorable moments.
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
The Vibrancy of Vietnam's Mundane Depicted by Illustrator Chan-Nhu Le
“I miss that. When I was young, on the motorbike with my friends, it was like ’hey, you have 15 minutes?’ and we just met up [...], had some street food and did literally nothing; just street watching. It was fun,” Chan-Nhu Le shared with Saigoneer about the inspiration for her illustrations.
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
The Unquenchable Spirit of Artist Lê Triều Điển
“Điển is like a flower; there is no question of growing or not growing.”
[Video] Vietnam Airlines Is Bringing Its A-Game With This TV Commercial
Vietnam Airlines is really stepping up its game these days. Between a fleet of sexy new Dreamliner planes and its recent investment in international TV spots, the country's national carrier is we...
[Video] This Is How You Nhậu in the Digital Age
If you spend any time on a mobile device, you're probably aware of how technology is destroying humans. There are a whole corners of the internet dedicated to smartphone addiction and someone is ...
Zelda Goes to the Gallery: The Power of Semiosis
French-based Japanese artist Yohei Yama lights up Vin Gallery with a feast of colorful Op art canvasses during his debut exhibition, The Power of Semiosis.
'Yellow Flowers' Becomes Highest-Grossing Vietnamese Drama Ever
Over a month after its debut, Toi Thay Hoa Vang Tren Co Xanh (Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass) – the stunning, state-commissioned film by Vietnamese-American director Victor Vu – continues to rake i...
[Video] Vietnamese Sculptor Creates Stunning Wood-and-Metal Sculptures
Last month, Vietnamese sculptor Bui Hai Son and painters Le Kinh Tai and Nguyen Quang Vinh displayed their work at FILTERS: Vietnam Contemporary Art Exhibition. While the show featured substantial exh...
Saigoneer's October Art Picks
October saw several Saigon debuts of emerging, mid-career and established artists from a variety of artistic backgrounds. Here are the pieces that caught our attention over the previous month.
November Movies at Saigon's Alternative Film Venues
As award season approaches, November might be the last chance you have this year to dive into the world of alternative and low-budget films, which is dominated by French and American productions.
Event Rewind: Halloween Hẻm Jam
While people across the city embraced this weekend's Halloween festivities, 3A Station was especially lively as Saigoneer joined forces with GiantStep Gallery and iLL Beats Saigon to put on the first-...
Zelda Goes to the Gallery: Jack Clayton Solo Exhibition
Fragmented images of a bustling Saigon, Vietnam’s past and present, the theories of Francis Bacon and Carl Jung – all find a place within the intricate woodcut prints and ink illustrations of Jack Cla...
[Video] Watch This Toyota Logo Disappear in 3 Seconds Flat
Saigon is full of magic tricks, from gravity-defying motorbike cargo to skyscrapers built at hyperspeed. But perhaps the least-welcome form of Saigon magic is the swift and unexpected disappearance of...
Saigon's First-Ever Affordable Art Opens This Week
Following two successful events up north, affordable art fair Art for You is coming to Saigon with the help of Hanoi-based galleries Work Room Four and Manzi. We caught up with the fair's organizers t...
It's Official: 'Kong: Skull Island' Will Film in Vietnam
Last month, director and screenwriter Jordan Charles Vogt-Roberts scouted locations in Vietnam for his upcoming film, Kong: Skull Island, the prequel to the 2005 Hollywood blockbuster King Kong.
[Video] A Poetic Look at Cho Lon
Some people have a knack for seeing things differently. Just like the backpacker who managed to make Pham Ngu Lao seem like a bastion of authentic local culture, so have Huy Tran and the Only in Saigo...
[Photos] Photographer Captures Slum Life on the Banks of Hanoi’s Red River
From north to south, urban Vietnam is full of contrasts. Skyscrapers go up next to shophouses. Food carts rub shoulders with five-star hotels. And sometimes, amid the changing cityscapes of this fast-...
Sweden Just Held Its Largest Ever Exhibition of Contemporary Vietnamese Art
Mien Meo Mieng / Contemporary Art from Vietnam – the most comprehensive exhibition of contemporary Vietnamese art ever presented in Sweden – features installations, drawings, paintings, videos and scu...
Stunning Vietnamese Children's Book Wins Asia-Wide Prize
When it comes to reading materials for kids, Vietnam is full of small, inexpensive paperbacks, but seldom does the country produce a colorful, high-quality storybook like The First Journey.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Music & Arts
The Music Man: Mark Gergis' Old-School Saigon Soul
When he was young, Mark Gergis – like most American teenagers – spent a lot of time sifting through records (or cassettes or CDs or iTunes...whatever your generation did). It was the 1980s, and there ...
Vietnamese Film Submitted to 2016 Oscars
For the first time in two years, a Vietnamese film is in the running for an Academy Award.
Islands, Archipelagos and Other Liquid Territories: Exploring the High Seas with Map Office
Acclaimed Hong Kong-based artists Laurent Gutierrez and Valerie Portefaix of Map Office bring to Dia Projects their first solo show in Saigon, titled Islands, Archipelagos and Other Liquid Territories...
[Photos] 15 Old Photos to Celebrate Vietnamese Women's Day
Today marks the 85th Vietnamese Women's Day. A nationally observed holiday since 1930, October 20 commemorates the day upon which the country's Women's Union was officially established and recognized ...
