Saigon Architects Honored as Artists at Gallery Event

2024-05-07T11:03:52+07:00

When we think about Saigon’s most iconic buildings, bridges and homes, we always note their function.

Whether colonial icons, standout examples of Vietnamese modernism, or newer structures that reveal the nation’s 21st-century talent and vision, form is always connected to function. They straddle the line between artistic and practical, and thus, while we may rightfully praise their architects as artists, we don’t think of them the same way we do painters or sculptors.

Photo by Saigoneer.

Many Saigoneers relish celebrating the city’s architectural heritage and future, rightfully praising the architects and using terms such as masterpiece. Vines and leaves spilling over bold railings and draping colorful shophouse walls in every direction contribute to the city’s feeling of eclectic abundance. Meanwhile, sleek skyscrapers and bridges held aloft with cables that resemble elegant wings remind us Saigon is a city of modern aspirations offering an array of contemporary pleasures.

Photo by Saigoneer.

Our appreciation for the designers and builders of these structures almost always ends with admiring the structures they bring to our streets. We rarely, if ever, wonder what other art forms they are passionate about. But aren’t many artists renowned for their versatility and ability to inspire across mediums? If an individual can bring beauty, style and energy to a library, office building, coffee shop, house or train station, can’t they do the same with paintings, sketches, sculptures, photographs and installations?

Work using synthetic material by Nguyễn Thanh Ngọc Tùng (left) and painting on papery by Lê Minh Đức (right).

These questions inform the second iteration of Art by Architects (AbyA), an exhibition at the Lotus Gallery. Saigon O'Clock: What Would You Say When it Comes to Saigon invites viewers to appreciate 85 works of visual art by 24 architects. The pieces are grouped into broader subjects that examine Saigon via a cohesive metropolis the lives of its residents; the unique world of Chợ Lớn; the peaceful elements of nature sprouting up in its corners and peripheries; and as a wistful source of dreams.

Oil on canvas by Mai Quang Trí.

The Saigon O'Clock exhibition is organized by Lotus Gallery and partners including Cara Lighting Solution, C.space Design Complex and Saigon Cider. It opens to the public from 12 May and is free to enter.

[Top painting by Trần Nhật Minh]

12 May - 26 May 2024

9AM - 6PM

Lotus Gallery

The Inspiring Future of Events Unveiled in Saigon at the GEM Center

2023-11-15T11:05:00+07:00

Jellyfish chandeliers pulsed overhead, digital butterflies flickered around a technicolor oak tree, an enormous deer pranced across a shimmering, enchanted forest background and dancers appeared to leap and swirl with stars in their hands while an orchestra performed. Simply, it was a day filled with unspeakable wonders that expanded what attendees considered possible.

Technology has revolutionized just about every aspect of people’s lives in Vietnam, but what about events? From corporate product launches to weddings and parties, a variety of occasions have enjoyed innovations in sound and visual design around the world in recent years. But few realize that the global exhibition trends that routinely go viral on social media are present in Vietnam.

The Event Technology Exhibition 2023 offered guests in Saigon an opportunity to not only learn about the breakthroughs shattering expectations for events in Vietnam but also to witness them in action. More than 30 esteemed firms involved in event organizing prepared for six months to create the exhibition that showcased equipment and technology involved in 3D Mapping, Laser Mapping, Interactive LED, Hologram, Kinetic, VR-AR and RFID along with the production solutions needed to bring them to life.

The diverse collection of awe-inspiring technologies filled three cavernous floors at the GEM center, each arranged around a specific ecosystem theme. Menacing waves rushed and crashed on the walls of the Ocean; water fell softly in the Cave while images projected on fabric suspended in the darkness and a plethora of lights in the rooftop Forest created the illusion of a night sky peeking through a magical canopy of trees.

In addition to the equipment and technologies on display for the entirety of the day, a full schedule of performances illustrated how conventional art can be enhanced and re-framed via new innovations. Whether it's classical music collaborating with soothing projections and holograms or up-tempo contemporary dancers having their attire transformed via mapping, they all revealed how modern sound, light and visual effects can inspire.

Saigon’s GEM Center was an obvious host for the proceedings. Already on the top of people’s minds when they think of attention-grabbing events at the forefront of style developments, they are always eager to explore new potentials. With 10,000 sqm of flexible space including a massive rooftop, since it opened the District 1 venue has hosted some of the country’s most impressive corporate parties, art exhibitions, celebrity weddings and private affairs. Over the years, the passionate in-house team has cultivated expertise in both the technical side of visual and sound design as well as warm and attentive service. It was thus fitting that the evening was capped off with a delicious dinner prepared by the GEM Center’s chefs. And each table allowed for a different type of technology to interact with the dishes, such as raindrops surrounding one table, or another that moved gracefully.

Saigoneer readers are certain to see some of the dazzling innovations the Event Technology Exhibition showcased at conferences, art shows and parties soon. The exhibition at the GEM Center served as a tantalizing sneak peak of that exciting future as well as an opportunity for event organizers to discover inspiration, learn about the technologies that can make their dreams a reality and forge the necessary connections to begin introducing them. And those who missed out should pay attention to similar events that will be held in the near future.

GEM Center's website

028 3911 7070

8 Nguyen Binh Khiem, Da Kao, D.1, Ho Chi Minh City

Exploring the Depth of Artistic Soul Through Whisky’s Multi-Layered Flavors

2023-06-23T19:00:00+07:00

Johnnie Walker Blue Label recently launched a collaboration with local Vietnamese artists to promote contemporary art in Vietnam and the world.

Be made of Depth - Opening

In 2022, Johnnie Walker Blue Label worked with Art Republik - a leading international art publication in Vietnam and French photographer Réhahn to launch a limited bottle collection called "Tradition." The bottle artwork depicted the breath of life and the mix between human-made art and the elegance of natural landscapes.

The art exhibition "Be Made of Depth," with contemporary artists Hung Ro and Lucia Pham also contributed to the project.

At the end of May 2023, many of Johnnie Walker's first guests had the opportunity to attend the exhibition "Be made of Depth - Be made of Blue", adorned with special colors by two painters Hung Ro and Lucia Pham.

Hung Ro's artwork depicted forests in the depth of space and time and was inspired by nature while Lucia Pham’s pieces highlighted Asian cultural values using colors and shapes animated with the assistance of their digital medium.

The combination was a multi-sensorial experience, providing insight into the artists and their perspectives.

Inspiring Artistic Feeling

The exploratory theme of the exhibition was carved on four bottles, allowing guests to become travelers, connecting with their love for their home country and culture.

For the stories, humans were the focus. The piece named "Nature melody," however, offered Hung Ro's love for the sea. The depth of the aquatic world was expressed through shades of blue and sea creatures half hidden in space. The power comes in the form of a seemingly infinite ocean that is a friend of lonely people.

Although the landscapes were not overly colorful, Hung Ro was able to find nuanced shades with soft brushstrokes, creating aesthetics of both vivid realities and those found in dreams The final result was an endless, crystal world.

Lucia Pham’s "The bloom of Vietnamese Women'' honored the beauty and power of Vietnamese women in traditional ao dai. With strong lines and contrasting colors, the artwork depicted the inner turmoil of life. The final product was a testament to the unstoppable creative mind and the depth of humanity and art.

The artworks were displayed with an exclusive digital printing technology provided by Johnnie Walker that allows for the paintings to take on a unique, multi-layered experience. These pieces were transposed on a bottle collection called "The multi-layered style, the harmony of art" which aims to serve as a special gift and centerpiece in the collection of whisky fans and upholds the Johnnie Walker Blue Label’s long legacy.

The exhibition accomplished a number of goals. First, to establish a link between these artistic values and the multi-layered character of the whisky contained within the blue bottles and also to provide more visibility for the artists while contributing and supporting local talent worldwide.

Enjoy responsibly, do not share with people under 18 years old.

A Tour of Poverty Relief Efforts in the Mekong Delta [Pt. 1]

2021-05-18T09:09:00+07:00

Mothers struggling to afford both food and school fees; husbands forced to move to other provinces to find work; unexpected illnesses that devastate a family's life savings; and children growing up without adequate knowledge of proper health practices: living amidst Saigon’s luxurious skyscrapers and fashionable nightlife, it can be easy to forget about the great poverty that afflicts many Vietnamese, especially in rural areas.

Saigoneer recently traveled to Long My District in Hau Giang Province to not only learn more about the realities of those experiencing extreme poverty, but the efforts being made to improve the situation, all while relishing in the delta’s beautiful scenery.

Traveling by bus from Saigon, we arrived in Long My at mid-day and were met by the team at Mekong Plus, an organization that has been active in rural community development for more than 25 years. We would spend the next two days traveling with them by bicycle to a few of the projects they operate in their area with local NGO partner Anh Duong.

Mekong Plus has operations in four districts in Hau Giang, as well as in Cambodia, but their work in Long My is their largest. As we ate lunch, we learned that all of the more than 20 staff members there were born and live in the area, which gives them critical knowledge about the people and communities they support.

Atop a sleek bicycle whose frame was made out of bamboo, we were on our way. Our first stop on the trip was to the home of a local woman named Phu. For years, she had done odd jobs including sewing and selling bánh mì, but the work was inconsistent and she was always in a financially precarious situation. Then Mekong Plus taught her how to make simple papier-mâché crafts.

Using scrap paper collected from the surrounding area and simple adhesives, she is able to create a variety of items including Christmas ornaments, dolls, statues and home decorations that are sold via Saigon-based Mekong Quilts. Before the pandemic, she was able to make upwards of VND2.5 million a month selling the items, mainly to foreign customers and often via custom order. She is one of more than 100 people in the area who have taken on such work that allows them to make extra money while remaining at home to care for children so they can pursue a stable education.

Alongside a need to improve access to health facilities, rural communities often lack basic health knowledge. More than 10 years ago, Mekong Plus began visiting local schools and offering age-appropriate health information. For secondary schools, topics include sex education, while the youngest students received lessons about dental care. By now, local teachers have been trained to the point that Mekong Plus only needs to occasionally visit and monitor the progress of the programs.

Our second stop of the day was Vinh Thuan Dong Kindergarten, where Mekong Plus has been active for years. We were delighted to watch the song and dance routine that helped the young students learn and practice good teeth brushing. They then had a chance to play in an adorable mini tạp hoá.

Dep, a Long My native, had moved with her husband and children to Saigon to work for several years. Upon their return, they found their house in ruins. Making matters worse, Dep recently developed a physical condition that left her unable to perform manual labor. With the help of family members and a generous donation from Mekong Plus, they were able to rebuild their home using a novel new technology. She invited us into her simple dwelling to share her story and her optimism for the future.

Roofs in the area are typically made from dried palm fronds or metal sheets. While inexpensive, the former are not durable, while the latter trap great amounts of heat and make a lot of noise during rainstorms. Yet, a newly invented roofing material that uses recycled plastic is cool, quiet and affordable. Dep’s family was able to install a Đồng Tiến roof for their new home, and the idea is spreading to her neighbors.

The stark contrast between the difficult lives of people in the region and its natural beauty was astounding: bright green fields beset by lush fruit trees, rivers and canals. We had stopped under the shade of some fruit trees to take in the scene when we were told to consider how we were exploring the area. The particular road we were on at the time was newly paved, which allowed us to admire the landscape around us and not have to keep on the lookout for potholes, puddles or mud patches.

In recent decades the Mekong Delta has seen the construction of hundreds of new bridges and roads that greatly improve the ability of people to travel for work and school. Yet, as the numerous ferries we took during the weekend attest to, there is still much infrastructure improvement to be made. For example, unpaved roads that link small hamlets often flood during the rainy season and become impassable, which especially affects children who may then be unable to get to school. And farmers that are forced to sell their goods on boats must do so at lower prices.

The local government is of course making great efforts to improve and maintain roads, and locals often pitch in via labor or financial resources, but they need all the help they can get. Mekong Plus is one group that is assisting via financial contributions supported by international groups and individuals. To date, they have helped complete 255 bridges and 165 kilometers of concrete paths.

As the sun set we returned to our hotel to call it an early night on account of the next day’s adventures that would include a trip to the floating market as well as various small businesses set up via microfinancing. Eel and tortoise farming? Mushroom growing? Biogas? We couldn’t wait.

Part 2 of Saigoneer’s trip will be published soon.

Mekong Plus's website

Mekong Plus's Facebook

Phone Number: 0913105189

Mekong Plus's Email

“Tree Spirit” Plants Lim Khim Katy’s Soothing Landscapes in Saigon

2020-12-10T09:22:00+07:00

“I just fly with my knife,” Lim Khim Katy explains of the process behind her striking landscapes.

The Saigon-born and educated painter first gained attention for her depictions of the country’s working-class citizens. She explained to Saigoneer that when traveling around Vietnam, she often makes eye contact with poor and struggling people, connecting with their emotions and situations that she later depicts on canvas. Gazing at these figure paintings transports a viewer to the worlds of individuals experiencing “sadness, boredom, hardship and stoic resignation.”

But eventually, absorbing the emotions of her subjects left her “poor, tired, and without light.” So one day in 2006, she stood at her easel with no plan other than to paint something that would leave her feeling relaxed. Only when the paint had begun to dry did she realize that she had created a vivid landscape. Since then, she has balanced her figure pieces with bright, soothing natural scenes because, as she notes, “I am connected and in love with the forest … my heart is able to sense soothing peace from the whisper of leaves, trees, wind and water.”

From women shielding themselves from the midday sun to day-laborers waiting for the bus, Katy’s figure paintings are unmistakably Vietnamese in their subject matter. Her landscapes, however, are quite the opposite. Populated by bright red deciduous trees and shades of blue and green one rarely encounters here, they call to mind some distant, unidentified locale. Katy explains that she never paints with a specific place in mind, let alone a photograph of one. Rather, the forests and rivers sprout from her imagination with her emotions at that moment determining the colors. On a recent trip to North America, she saw autumn’s bright trees for the first time and remarked how they resembled the ones she’d been painting but had never seen.

The rare exception to the foreign scenes has a personal story behind it. Katy’s father was born and grew up in Cambodia and after he passed away, she wanted to paint what she imagined his homeland to be. Thus two palm trees, bathed in soft afternoon light, grow from a patch of earth surrounded by water. Katy explains this represents her father and grandfather connected to their country.

While she has begun experimenting more with brushes in her figure paintings, she continues to use knives when creating her landscapes. She places smears and gobs of paints on the canvas, which creates evocative textures that reflect the natural world’s many layers and the ways different elements commingle and build atop one another, which allows her to better “show emotion.” The process requires her to create the work quickly, because too much time in between painting sessions would mean the ink would not blend or mix properly. Thus, she paints each landscape in a week or less, which seems to impart them with a certain cohesiveness that captures a single emotional state.

This month marks Katy’s first landscape exhibition, titled “Tree Spirit.” It is also the first solo exhibition to be held at the newly opened VY Gallery in District 1. Vy, the gallery’s owner, explained that she was first drawn to Katy’s figure paintings that she had seen in other galleries, and after months of talking, she encountered the many landscapes that she had produced during the past several years. Unlike the emotionally challenging effect of Katy’s other work, the landscapes offer an understated serenity Vy believes her visitors are in search of.

To make way for the 20 paintings that constitute “Tree Spirit,” VY Gallery put its regular collection in storage. When visiting to see Katy’s show, which runs from December 12 to January 10, guests should make sure to look at the available books that feature the entire collection of Vietnamese artists that span eras, mediums and aesthetics and make a mental note to return when the gallery puts them back on display.

When Saigoneer visited the gallery before “Tree Spirit” was put up, Vy explained that she is excited to be contributing to an art scene in the city that is growing and maturing. The new show featuring Katy’s foray into landscapes is a great example of how artists here are experimenting with new styles and sources of inspiration that are redefining Vietnamese art. It’s exciting to get a glimpse of the artists’ journeys, or as Katy says, to go on a walk with her to deserted forests to “leave behind one’s busy mind, find peace and enjoy the infinite joy it has given us.”

Vy Gallery's website

Vy Gallery's Facebook

0283 620 8652

Vy Gallery | 20 Nguyen Van Thu, Đa Kao, Quận 1, HCM

Trance Legend Paul Van Dyk Rocks Lush

2020-03-14T09:12:00+07:00

When one of the city's longest-running and best-loved clubs welcomes a bona fide electronic music icon, it's bound to result in a night of ecstatic, hands in the air dancing.

Sure enough, that's exactly what happened when trance legend Paul Van Dyk gave his debut Vietnam performance at Lush in January.

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Touring the world to launch his upcoming 10th studio album, Guiding Light, PvD included music from throughout his unmatched career in a set that mixed beauty and energy in equal measure. Having long ago moved beyond the limitations of simple DJ sets, Paul Van Dyk brought an arsenal of technology to the booth, enabling him to construct and remix his music on the fly. Reacting to the crowd in the moment, he pushed huge synth builds to dizzying heights before slamming back to the driving high-speed beats that characterize the genre that he's been a pillar of for the best part of three decades.

A mix of younger fans from the burgeoning Vietnamese trance scene and veteran trance lovers from around the globe filled the club, and their reactions to both classic tracks and previously unheard cuts from the new album obviously delighted Paul Van Dyk. His undimmed love for the music and performing was obvious as he kept on playing “one more tune.”

With the support of sponsors Belaire and Super Bock, Lush went all out to provide a total experience worthy of such a performer, bringing in a festival-ready sound and lighting system for the night and working with the local Trance Lovers community DJs to prime the crowd before the main event. Showing once again that Lush defies being easily pigeon-holed, Paul Van Dyk was just the latest in a long list of hugely influential and exciting acts that the club has brought over to Vietnam for the first time.

You can find the full album of the Paul Van Dyk show here.

One Night at Epizode, Vietnam’s Largest Island Music Festival

2020-02-15T21:28:18+07:00

I arrived shortly before sunset, draped in my best floor-length party vest, and free of expectations on the second and final Saturday of Vietnam’s largest, globally-acclaimed music and art festival, Epizode.

Held on idyllic Phu Quoc Island, the event boasted 11 explosive days of diverse programming, with its primary draw being an absolutely stacked lineup of global artists and selectors hailing from every major market around the world, as well as a few rising local gems.

A Local Gem on the Rise

I talked to one of those home country talents, German-born Vietnamese Levi Oi, to get her take on what it was like to play after attending as a fan just a year ago. She had already done some work with Isreali producer and performer duo Red Axes, and explained: “It was so inspiring to me that the music they made with my involvement went international... I got back to Saigon and really went all-in. I started to learn to DJ but still continued working and organizing events, as it was kind of unreal for me to call myself a DJ. More and more, people asked me to play, it was like a tornado that took me. So the experience from attending to playing at Epizode was like the cherry on top of this whole DJ journey.”

There’s no question Levi has earned the title of DJ now, leading up to her Epizode debut she graced stages at the Boiler Room, Coracle, and Ravolution Music Festival.

Picture-Perfect

Epizode has taken place at Sunset Sanato Beach Club since its inception three years ago and arriving with just one night to soak up everything it had to offer, I felt a slight tinge of nerves. But as soon as I spotted a few friends signaling me towards the bar, I relaxed, pressed my fingertips to my temples to ensure g my face jewels hadn’t come loose, and started off across the sand. With tropical-themed fizzy drinks in hand, we drifted towards the water’s edge and the enchanting Dali elephants which were permanently installed on-site. The whimsical beasts anchored the picturesque sunset viewing spot. I opted for a dip in the warm waves as I took in one of the most spectacular sunsets I’d ever seen. As the giant, gooey, fire-orange star finally kissed the horizon, I could almost see an anticipatory shimmer run up the festival’s collective spine and fizzle out into the twilight.

Against the sunset, the atmosphere on the beach oozes effortless, island cool with attendees casually wandering between grandiose art pieces and stylized stages. I didn’t catch many of the daytime activities, but attendees who braved the sun were treated to some unique contributions, including Thailand’s KRAFTMETIX live body-painting, guided meditations, art workshops, sound healing, yoga, tea ceremonies, and even opportunities to test one’s own musical creativity during open deck sessions. Yet it seems night is when Epizode really comes alive.

As the festival transitioned from beachwear to party dresses, the venue lit up with hundreds, maybe thousands, of multicolored lights. It wasn’t just the stages that got special treatment; the bars, art installations, chill-out zones, top-up stations, and even bathrooms had unique lighting schemes.

Looking to the Future

Epizode, like several of its modern festival counterparts, went cashless for its fourth installment, utilizing pre-pay wristbands for all purchases. It was also the first year the festival launched a cup-sharing program to completely eliminate single-use plastic cups. Other eco-minded initiatives this year included wild grass straws in lieu of out-moded plastic, compostable tableware made from recycled sugarcane, and beWater’s aluminum cans instead of plastic bottles...

Festival-goers took a break from the music to serve as volunteer beach cleaners around the island.

On top of its eco-minded philosophy and abundance of Instagrammable moments, another thing Epizode got right was its app. It allowed attendees to explore all of the event offerings with a full schedule, map, social features, and artist pages complete with SoundCloud links.

Sensory Overload

The main stage, an overwhelming ensemble of lighting rigs and state-of-the-art sound equipment, wood decking, VIP areas, multiple levels and dance-up bar held an all-night Cymatiks Showcase. Cymatiks, a project made up of a handful of prestigious, multi-talented artists, is known for a unique blending of sight and sound to create multi-sensory experiences. The project brought their signature beat-syncing visuals to the high-intensity, all-night party. A supremely visual show, the organizer’s acute attention to all things technical did not go unnoticed by music-lovers and gearheads alike. Attendee Karolis Vytenis Gle said: “It is very rare that a party would be equipped like that in Vietnam, and in my opinion that was the biggest plus of this festival.”

Fizzy drinks transitioned into beers as the night softly and slowly faded back into the morning. All the while we danced; drenched in the sonic bath coming from the thundering speakers. Our hearts raced, our hair became soaked, and legs turned to jelly. Seasoned festivalgoer Vicente Segarra put it artfully when describing those pre-dawn, dancefloor moments: “Your aching body is asking for a rest, but your mind is traveling with the music to another world; a little more, you tell yourself you wanna dance just a little more...Then suddenly, a remix of a song from your adolescence is playing, you feel a thunderbolt shoot through your spine and you get teleported!"

When I finally threw in the towel and traded my reusable cup for a taxi home, I was the kind of exhausted you only get from nights you plead with not to end. As I waved goodbye to Epizode and rested my head against the glass, sherbert scenes danced across my eyelids; a postcard-perfect sunset, endless, frenetic wiggles and shimmies punctuated by bathroom breaks, beer, new friends, old friends, and so much laughing; all culminating in the most idyllic, rainbow sunrise.

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