in Music & Arts

Reframing War Memories via the Western-Vietnamese Photographic Perspectives

War photographs, often viewed as windows into the past tragedies, are believed to offer an immediate representation of reality. But what lies beyond the frame? What purpose did these images serve, and who were they meant for?

Khôi Phạm

in Music & Arts

For the Love of Boney M: How a West German Disco Quartet Charmed Vietnam

“You’re gonna make me cry. That’s awesome,” Liz Mitchell exclaimed. Overwhelmed with disbelief, she covered her face and then clutched her black satin dress tightly. It was a rare moment of uplifting musical goodness when the past and the present of Vietnam’s music scene collided.

in Culture

In the Latest Issue of 'No One Magazine,' 15 Stories From Vietnam's Queer Communities

No One Magazine, a print publication about underground queer nightlife around the world, is focusing on Vietnam for its second issue with corresponding launch events in Hanoi and Saigon. 

in Music & Arts

Tranh Kiếng, Southern Vietnam's Glass Painting, Is at Risk of Disappearing

I’ve always loved marveling at the colorful tranh kiếng hung in our altar room whenever I get a chance to visit my mother’s hometown. Since I was little, the paintings have been an indispensable part of my grandparents’ homestead. Tranh kiếng is present everywhere in people’s houses in the town, but I’ve never thought to ask who created unique art pieces that perfectly encapsulate the soul of the southern community.

Paul Christiansen

in Loạt Soạt

Sao La, Self, Hmong Identity: The Many Layers of Poetry Collection 'Primordial'

A book of poetry all about sao la?

in Music & Arts

In Huế, ‘Allusive Panorama’ Exhibition Reveals a Tender Side of Hàm Nghi Through His Art

An exhibition offering a rare glimpse into the artistic life of Hàm Nghi, Vietnam's exiled emperor who dedicated his life to art, with brushstrokes and landscapes reflecting his deep longing towards a distant homeland that he could never return to.

in Music & Arts

Lý Trực Sơn Exhibition Invites Us to Marvel at Lacquer, Dó Paper, Earth's Material Beauty

Despite being three distinct elements with their own texture, depth, and presence, lacquer, paper, and earth are all rooted in nature. Rather than searching for hidden meanings, Lý Trực Sơn’s solo exhibition at Vin Gallery invites us to engage with the works instinctively and experience the interplay of pigments, natural elements, and form, shaped by the artist’s innovative process and the passage of time.

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in Culture

A Brief History of Hunting in Vietnam Since the 19th Century

While hunting was probably popular among Vietnamese nobles before the arrival of the French, it was the colonialists who popularized big game hunting in the country when it was still a land of wildern...

in Culture

Fashion Market @ The House Of Saigon

From the organizer: All about fashion, accessories, art and craft - calling brands, designers who want to exhibit and sell your products at our Fashion Market on Saturday and Sunday, July 12...

in Culture

The Vietnamese Millionaires Of Angola

Wherever Vietnamese go, they strive and thrive. While the Vietnamese diaspora is best know for its success in North America, Europe and Australia, there is a small, but influential contingent in the ...

in Music & Arts

[Photos]: Vu Huu Nhung’s “Life” Exhibition

Vũ Hữu Nhung, an heir of Phù Lãng pottery experts, is holding an exhibition of his cutting-edge sculptural artwork in Hanoi.

in Music & Arts

[Photos] 1,600 Papier-Mâché Pandas Invade Asia

Artist Paulo Grangeon began making papier-mâché pandas back in 2008 to support World Wild Life Fund activities in Europe. While popular on his home continent, he had no idea the excitement they would ...

in Culture

Vietnamese Model Organizes Fashion Show At NYC’s Tallest Building

Vietnamese model, Jessica Minh Anh, continues her quest to hold fashion shows at iconic locations. After erecting runways in places like the Grand Canyon and the Petronas Towers, Anh held a multicultu...

in Music & Arts

[Photos] Vietnam’s World Famous “Aquascapists”

Surprise fact: Vietnam is a perennial powerhouse when it comes to aquarium design.

Brian Letwin

in Culture

This Is What Happened When A Woman Was Photoshopped In 25 Different Countries

We know that standards of beauty differ from country to country, but we never would have imagined that they fluctuated this much.

in Music & Arts

The Only Cross-Dressing Dance In Vietnam

Against the backdrop of Vietnamese gender sensitivities that are based on a feudally influenced culture, it is ironic that one of the country’s most unique dances, one that is over 1,000 years old, is...

Brian Letwin

in Culture

[Video] This Japanese Kid Has Insane Yo-Yo Skills

Since I have trouble mastering even the simple things in life, watching this Japanese kid destroy gravity with his yo-yo makes me feel slightly depressed.

in Culture

Trend: Vietnam’s Rich Show Off Their Wealth With Castles

Finding themselves with overflowing bank accounts, some of Vietnam’s wealthy are putting their money into real estate. But not only are they buying land, but building castles.

in Music & Arts

Local Graffiti Artists Want To Paint Saigon’s Old And Empty Walls

While in the West graffiti art is a form of anti-establishment expression, some artists in Vietnam are focusing on its visual elements, using it as a tool for beautification of city streets.

in Culture

Saigon Urban Legends: Haunted 727 Tran Hung Dao

Located at 727 Tran Hung Dao, this District 5 dwelling was once called the President Building and housed hundreds of American soldiers. Commissioned by millionaire Nguyen Tan Doi, this building, which...

in Music & Arts

New Art Initiative In Saigon: Sao La

Here is a new addition in town that art lovers will welcome with open arms. Sao La is a non-profit initiative by the well-established Gallery Quynh, located on the ground floor of the HCMC Fine Art Mu...

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[Video] Tuồng: Vietnam’s Disappearing Traditional Face Painting

Tuồng is a type of traditional folk performance which is characterized in part by the use of abstract face-painting. Performers hide their real faces under a piece of art, which symbolize their charac...

in Culture

Da Nang’s Dragon Bridge Gets International Praise For Lighting Design

Da Nang's world famous bridge is back in the proverbial spotlight. After winning an international engineering award back in May, the central city’s Dragon Bridge was recently honored at the Internatio...

in Music & Arts

[Photos] Local Artist Creates Beautiful Aluminum And Wood Bird Sculptures

Interweaving the arts of sculpture and installation, Thai Nhat minh’s solo exhibition last year, “The Birds” captured feelings of captivity and yearning for freedom through his wooden and aluminum bir...

in Culture

A Guide To Honking In Vietnam

Saigoneer contributor, Eric van der Vorst, created this playful list to help us decipher the meaning behind the symphony of honks and beeps that echo through Vietnam's roads and cities. 

in Culture

22 Head-Spinning Vietnamese Tongue Twisters

Due to its six tones, Vietnamese is far from the easiest language to learn. In case you wanted to further confound yourself, here's a list of 22 Vietnamese tongue twisters that will have even some Vie...

in Culture

10 Incredible Photos Of Life On Hanoi's Train Tracks

Traffic in Vietnam is crazy but the train tracks that skirt through Hanoi’s residential areas reach levels of insanity.