VIETNAMESE MODERN ART IS A SUBLIME MARRIAGE OF EASTERN AND WESTERN INFLUENCES, MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING AND INTOXICATING STYLES IN THE WORLD TODAY.
How did a country as poor and war-ravaged as Vietnam develop such a vibrant
art scene? (this rhetorical question was raised recently by Time International magazine.) 'Part of it is a fad, in the same way that when the Soviet Union
opened up, Soviet art became a fad,' answered C. David Thomas, director of the
Indochina Arts Project, who has organized exhibitions of Vietnamese art in
the U.S. 'It is a wonderful combination of the mystery of
Eastern art and the familiarity of Western art.' Vietnamese painting owes
much to the influence of the French, who in 1925 opened the Ecole des
Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine in Hanoi. The institution trained a revolutionary
vanguard of urban-minded artists until it was forced to close down during
the 1945 Japanese invasion against the French. Many of these artists
struggled to find their own voice as they mastered foreign technique.
Nghiem, for instance, successfully fused traditional art--carvings from
village pagodas, woodblock prints, folk dancers, animals of the lunar
calendar--with Western-style painting.
Although Vietnamese art may be a newcomer in the international art arena all over again, it is a rather unique and mystifying art in that not only has it inherited its own identity and character that draws on a rich and varied history but it has also assimilated influences of (the aforementioned) French, Chinese, Champa and regional folk art.
Contemporary painting is often influenced by the so called French School. This term refers to the Ecole des Beaux Arts d'fIndochine established by the French, in Hanoi, in 1925. This art school greatly contributed to the development of painting in Vietnam. Although most art forms, during the strict communist rule from 1975 into the early 1990s, was reduced to communist propaganda, the Moi Moi in turn gave artists the chance to express themselves again. Art overall became more daring, and many promising talents have emerged since then.
In recent years, many artists from Vietnam were granted permission to travel abroad to exhibit their works while art dealers from around the world have closely watched the surge of interest from buyers and collectors in Hong Kong, Singapore, France, Germany and America. Traveling museum exhibits have also provided opportunities for Vietnamese artists to gain acceptance and reputations. Nevertheless, this emerging art corner is still very new in the United States. Only a hand full of exhibits has reached America, and not enough publications, publicity and respects have focused on its true artists and rich traditions.
v i e t n a m e s e + a r t i s t s
DAO HAI PHONG.
According to ThingsAsian: "Dao Hai Phong was born in 1965, the son of the well known artist Dao Duc. He studied at the Hanoi College of Film and Theater from 1982-1987 and won a medal as designer at the Vietnam Film Festival for his outstanding contribution to this medium. Although he had painted as a hobby from the age of six, it was only after graduation that Phong started to focus on developing his individual style.
Phong likes to use blue and other luminous, radiating colors. Most of his paintings are landscapes inspired by his travels when working on films. Although he was born and grew up in the city of Hanoi, he has recently been drawn more and more to the beauty of the countryside.
In 1992-1993 he changed his idea about color and began incorporating the use of softer colors such as gray with the vivid blue. Phong admires other artists such as Le Thiet Cuong and Truong Tan, however he believes that each artist is like a tree in a forest - each tree must have its own style.
Since 1992 he has held the position of Chief Designer of the Vietnam Film Studio, but in the meantime has continued to paint and exhibit his work.
Selected Exhibitions
1997 Fine Arts College, Republic of Lao, sponsored by Accords
1997 A Glimpse about Hanoi, Duc Minh Gallery, Ho Chi Minh City
1997 Past and Present, Nam Son Art Gallery, Hanoi
1996 Independent in Hanoi, exhibiting with "The Gang of Five"
1996 Three Vietnamese Artists, LKF Gallery in Hong Kong.
1995 After Dark, Hoa Sen Gallery, solo exhibition
1994 Vietnam Festival, Hong Kong, sponsored by Vietnam Business Association
1993 Roy Miles Gallery, London
1993 Old Streets of Hanoi, Hanoi
DINH QUAN.
Born in Haiphong, Vietnam in 1964, Vietnamese artist Dinh QuanE˝s artworks are "very refined, emphasising his sophistication in art techniques and subtle aesthetics. "(This and the following quotes come from Rendiva.com.
"Trained at the Hanoi Fine Arts College (graduated in 1990), Dinh Quan often paints FEMALE FIGURES - which are well finished and beautifully refined, surrealist rather than realistic. Using a lacquer-based paint, these women sometimes look ghostlike, sometimes sensual, and at times deconstructed. Dinh Quan has experimented with innovative approaches to the traditional art of making lacquer paintings and invented a dynamic style of lacquer painting that is unique. Lacquer is a clear sap stemming from various species of trees growing in Vietnam. Lacquer can be mixed with a variety of colours and substances, and the traditional way of making lacquer paintings is to paint layer upon layer in a long and arduous process. Dinh Quan applies a modified technique and mixes lacquer with a variety of substances such as gold, silver and epoxy to achieve a special surface texture and three-dimensional feeling to his paintings.
"He has recently exhibited in several countries abroad, such as China (1994), Japan (1996, 1997, 1999, 2000), France (1996), Singapore (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002), Norway (1997), Philippines (1997, 1999), Hong Kong (1997), USA (1997, 1998, 2000), UK (1999, 2002), Thailand (1998, 2000, 2002) and Taiwan (2000).
"Works by this artist can also be viewed in major ASIAN ART COLLECTIONS, such as Singapore Art Museum, Vietnam Fine Arts Museum and the National Art Gallery of Malaysia."
ĐỖ DUY TUẤN.
According to the World Bank, this artist is known as The Lonely Vagabond. "Born in Thừa Thiên, Huế, and graduated from the National Fine Art College of Hue. Before 1975, he participated in many fine arts activities in Huế and Đà Nẵng. Due to family?fs conditions, he did not resume his artist's life until 1994. In 2000, he held a solo exhibition in Singapore and received the Art National Award for three consecutive years in 1999-2001, as well as the Vietnam Fine Arts Awards in 2001. He also worked in Fine Arts Museum in Saigon and Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi.
"Đỗ Duy Tuấn is one of the most talented artists in Vietnam and a profound, Zen thinker. He paints mostly women, portrays his female subjects in somber and dreamlike moods, and uses mixed media as his material. He has received numerous awards from competitions and exhibits overseas. Twice, he has received the Certificate of Recognition from the Philip Morris Group of Companies ASEAN Art Awards.
"'I finally found my inner peace, and it reflects in my creations. My art embraces the nostalgic and romantic ambiance of Hue, of the glorious past, and of the divine, dream like beauty that I have yet to reconcile with today's civilization. My subjects reflect my heart and soul and are not challenging, for I want my viewers to appreciate and enjoy them as if they were actually creating the artworks themselves.'—Đỗ Duy Tuấn."
LE THANH SON.
 With works owned by former American President Bill Clinton and well respected by the international art community, Le Thanh Son was born in Hanoi in 1962. He still evokes a clear Hanoi spirit and light in his works, which are usually bright and impressionistic. Le Thanh Son studied at the Stage and Movie College in Hanoi from 1981 to 1986, and the cinematic influence of this period certainly shines through in his work. Greatly influenced by Bui Xuan Phai, Vietnam's best-known painter. Le Thanh Son draws from his cinematic background to paint realistic scenes of Hanoi imbued with a sense of lighting unsurpassed by any other painters in Vietnam at the moment, according to Things Asian. Concerned with the preservation of the capital's ancient streets, Le Thanh Son brings them back to life -- on a canvas near you.
VIEN THUC.
This eccentric Zen monk and artist has become something of a tourist attraction for foreigners visiting Dalat, in the highlands near Ho Chi Minh City. You can view an online gallery of his work at Things Asian, which had this to say about him: "Born in 1941, hermit monk at the Lam Ty Ni Pagoda in Dalat since the sixties. Born in the southern town of My Tho, he has been painting since the age of ten. His oil-on-paper paintings, often accompanied by haiku poems written in an ancient Vietnamese script or in several European languages, are called Zen paintings. Exhibited and collected throughout Europe."
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ONE OF THE AMAZING THINGS ABOUT VISITING HO CHI MINH CITY REGULARLY IS NOTICING JUST HOW FAST THE SKYLINE OF THIS CITY CHANGES. A similar effect can be observed watching the growth and explosion of Vietnamese art. This graph shows a comparison of sales of contemporary art from three south-east Asian nations compiled by the Thavibu Gallery, based on observation from 1998 to 2003.
The graph shows the number of paintings sold from Thavibu Gallery, either through the Internet or directly to clients in Bangkok. Most of the paintings that were sold in 2005 were Burmese (38 %), followed closely by Vietnamese (34 %) and Thai (28 %). This is the first time since the gallery started in 1998 that Burmese art works sold more than Vietnamese. Looking at the graphs, it is evident that the sale of Vietnamese works has declined while Burmese and Thai have increased slowly, but steadily. Many factors are involved, but the large numbers of copies and fakes in the Vietnamese market may a factor, as well as a certain lack of innovation. The Burmese works may have an immediate, "fresh" appeal coming from a country that has been isolated for a long time. Most Burmese works are literal and figurative with bright, attractive colours.
Vietnamese paintings have been among the most popular in Southeast Asia which may be due to several reasons, such as the French influence and the establishment of the Fine Art University, Ecole des Beaux Arts d?fIndochine in Hanoi in the 1920s, active local collectors and connoisseurs, and a vibrant contemporary art scene. The demand is being reflected in the price level. Manpower, education, inspiration and economic success - for the few perhaps – are in place. The challenge is not to be complacent and rest on current successes, but to continuously strive for new areas of expression. It should be noted that there has not been much innovation lately, and some of the artists have a rather large production. A major concern is authenticity since copies and fakes have become prevalent in Vietnam, not only of old masters, but also of some of the best-selling modern artists. There are still good pieces to be found in Vietnam, but they have become harder to find, and it is ever more important to choose carefully the best quality works. A special mention should be made of lacquer paintings, such as by Trinh Tuan, Dinh Quan, and Cong Kim Hoa. They are uniquely Vietnamese and truly innovative. The synthesis of traditional lacquer techniques and modern paintings has been very successful, and the art of lacquer painting is surely an important contribution from Vietnam to the global contemporary art scene.
 Burmese paintings are mostly traditional which can be expected from a country which is still rather isolated from the rest of the world (and somehow managing to survive under a brutal military dictatorship). There is nothing wrong with traditional paintings as long as they are well executed, and Thavibu Gallery strives to show the best contemporary art coming out of Burma. Works by the top artists such as U Lun Gywe and Aung Kyaw Htet are still quite reasonable in price. Only 15 % of the population has more or less regular access to electricity, a much lesser percentage has access to TV and Internet. I cannot agree with those who say that Burma is now opening up, although there is more activity in the art scene than before. Due to censorship and isolation, the focus is still mostly on Buddhist subjects in this highly religious country. Canvas and paint are often in short supply.
Thailand has the most diverse art scene in terms of style, media and subject matter, and the interest in Thai art works is increasing. Neo-traditionalist art often featuring Buddhist subject matters still plays a prominent role on the domestic scene, though this style is probably not so interesting for the international audience, and Thavibu Gallery does not feature much of this style. There is a high degree of freedom of expression in Thailand, hence the censorship which plagues many other countries in the region does not limit what Thai artists can show. This often leads to expression of issues related to social awareness and social criticism, which is refreshing. Another interesting area of contemporary Thai art can be found in three-dimensional works, such as installations. A book on Thai Contemporary Art is an excellent introduction to the art scene in Thailand.
v i e t n a m e s e + g a l l e r i e s
IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THE TERM "ART GALLERY" HAS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT CONNOTATIONS IN VIETNAM THAN IT DOES IN OTHER COUNTRIES. In other countries, art galleries are usually official looking buildings with lots of guards, closed on Mondays and rammed full of Picasso's and Rembrandt's and other famous works. I have never been to an art gallery in Vietnam like this. Instead Vietnamese art galleries (and there are a lot of them) exist not to display works, but to sell them. Vietnamese galleries are really art shops, and often seem to be clustered around hotels and tourist areas.
As Time International reported, artists are becoming the new rock stars of Vietnam: "The urban centers of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City bustle with something of an
art Renaissance: a rebirth of dollars as well as style. 'People see artists
like Cuong earn a lot of money, so everybody decides to become a painter,'
says Bich Ha, a Ho Chi Minh City gallery owner. In at least one case a
gallery proprietor did away with the middle man -- the artist -- and took up
painting herself, thus keeping all the profits.
"So lucrative has the country's art market become that there is a burgeoning
trade in forgeries. Nguyen Tu Nghiem, one of the country's most revered
artists, says his wife spotted an alleged "Nghiem" for sale at a gallery
down the street from his house. 'The price was $1,000,' says the wife Nguyen
Thu Giang. 'Everyone knows that is too little for a Nghiem.' Says the
artist, who is 74: 'And the painting was horrible! I am an old man. And I am
very tired of having to look at paintings people buy to see if they are
really mine. I wish these terrible people would stop copying me!'"
Forgeries aside, the art galleries of Ho Chi Minh City are great places to discover local talent, and the artworks are always sold at bargain prices.
98 Nguyen Hue: 98 Nguyen Hue St, District 1. Phone: 8/292 471. Email: artsaigon98@yahoo.com.
Wholesale and retail. Sells oil on canvas, velvet paintings, portrait drawing, art frmaes and gift souvenirs.
Apricot Gallery: 50-52 Mac Thi Buoi, District 1. Phone: 822 7962. Email: apricotgallery@hcm.fpt.vn. Web: http://www.apricot-artvietnam.com.
According to the website: "Among many galleries in Vietnam,
Apricot is probably the best,
gathering the top-rank artists
from the master generation to up-coming stars.
"Apricot Gallery won the heart of art lovers not only
by its genuine and qualified masterpieces
but also good quality of service.
"It is your right to discover
and
your visit is our great honour."
Au Lac Gallery: 161 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, District 3. Phone: 930 4593.
Blue Space: 1A Le Thi Hong Gam, District 1. Phone: 821 3695.
Hai Kim Gallery: 321 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, District 3. Phone: 843 9346.
Duc Minh Gallery: 23 Ly Tu Trong, District 1. Phone: 823 2449.
Gia Tan Gallery: 100 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, District 1. Phone: 829 1000. 
Ho Chi Minh Fine Arts Association: 218A Pasteur, District 3. Phone: 823 0025.
Hong Hac Gallery: 9A Vo Van Tan, District 3. Phone: 930 4160.
Lac Hong Gallery: 97A Pho Duc Chinh, District 1. Phone: 821 3771.
Phong Tranh Hoang Thanh: 12 Phan Boi Chau St, District 1. Phone: 0903 227703 (Miss Van), 0909 827374 (Miss Hanh.) Web: www.silkpainting.com.vn.
 This gallery, located in the tourist heart of town near the Ben Thanh Market, specialises is wholesale and retail fabric pictures. By fabric pictures they mean "flower handmade pictures under the popular style of Vietnam, Janan, China".
Phuong Dong Orient Gallery: 44 Nguyen Hue Blv, District 1. Phone: 848/824 8514. Email: lc@orient-art.com. Web: www.orient-art.com.
Oil on canvas painting Sale & Reproduct styles of all master artists in the world.
Phuong Mai Art Gallery: 129 B Le Thanh Ton St., District 1 (near the Norfold Hotel and the Revolution Museum). According to WikiTravel's guide to Ho Chi Minh City, this place should not be missed: "A gallery showing contemporary Vietnamese artists, both established and emerging. There's another showroom at 213C Dong Khoi in Dist. 1."
Saigon Art Gallery: 77 Mac Thi Buoi, District 1. Phone: 822 6048.
Tara & Keys Gallery: 31 Ngo Duc Ke, District 1. Phone: 823 4408.
Tu Do Gallery: 53 Ho Tung Mau, District 1. Phone: 821 0966.
Van Gallery: 43 Dong Khoi, District 1. Phone: 823 9546.
Vinh Loi Gallery: 41 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, District 3. Phone: 930 5006.
World Art Gallery: 219A De Tham, District 1. Phone: 836 0442.
XQ Hand Embroidered Painting: 81 Dong Khoi, District 1. Phone: 822 2856.
Some Hanoi galleries:
Red River Gallery: 7 Hang Khay St., Hanoi. Phone: (884) 3936 3936 6958, 3825 2294. Fax: (844) 3825 2294. Email: info@redriverartvietnam.com. Web: www.redriverartvietnam.com.
Sells works from both upcoming and established artists. Currently selling works by Nguyen Thanh Binh, Pham Luan, Hong Viet Dung and Bui Huu Hung.
Last week (July 20 2009) while walking through the middle of Ho Chi Minh City I saw a sign on a major promenade which advertised: "OLD PROPAGANDA POSTERS". Just like the relics of the Cultural Revolution in China, propaganda posters are a big business in modern Vietnam. At the other end of the bamboo pole, in Hanoi, Travel Happy reports: "Hanoi has hundreds of shops selling silks, lacquerware, tailor made clothes and all sorts of other handicrafts, but my favorite is this shop on Hang Bac in the city's Old Quarter that sells hundreds of original propaganda posters and reprints from the American War, as it known in Vietnam. Step into the shop and you step into a time capsule of exhortations to patriotism and defeating the enemy, all under the watchful eye of Uncle Ho."
It turns out the shop (which is called Tranh Co Dong Cu in Vietnamese; address: 110 Hang Bac St.) is the Hanoi sister of the shop I saw in Ho Chi Minh City last week, with the same gold font of Communist red background signage. According to Travel Happy there are a variety of artistic styles at work, from the bulky Soviet graphical influence to almost impressionistic works. Since they only cost a few dollars each, you can buy several.
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IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BROWSING FOR OR BUYING VIETNAMESE ART ONLINE, HERE ARE SOME RESOURCES:
Suffusive Art: Original Contemporary Vietnamese Art.
According to the website, "Suffusive Art is proud to promote the art of Hanoi's contemporary young artists. Vietnamese modern art is still a new and exciting area which will only continue to grow in importance and value."
Artists featured include Do Minh Tam, Vu Bich Thuy, Dinh Y Nhi, Doan Hoang Lam, Le Anh Quan, Ha Manh Thang, Ly Hung Anh, Vuong Van Thao, Nguyen Xuan Long, Jacob Reymond, Vu Hong Nguyen, Le Quy Tong, Luu Vu Long and Do Tuan Anh.
s p o n s o r + a n + a r t i s t
MUCH LIKE THE ABORIGINAL PAINTERS OF AUSTRALIA, VIETNAMESE ARTISTS MANAGE TO PRODUCE WORKS OF PROFOUND BEAUTY IN THE MIDST OF CRUSHING POVERTY. However, there are avenues of help available for Vietnamese artists, forms of sponsorship. Here are just a few of them:
Dong Son Today Foundation: Help for Struggling Vietnamese Artists.
Như những bức vẽ tượng Phật nghìn tay từ thế kỷ 17 muốn thâm nhập vào thực tại, những viễn cảnh thành lập Quỹ Đông Sơn Ngày Nay đã trở thành sự thật cùng với sự trợ giúp của các bạn. Từ hàng ngàn năm trước, vẻ đẹp của các bức tượng Phật nghìn tay đã luôn luôn là nguồn cảm hứng sáng tạo cho các nghệ sĩ.
Quỹ Đông Sơn Ngày Nay là cầu nối giúp bạn đến với những khát vọng của các nghệ sĩ trẻ Việt Nam đang tìm tòi để có một chỗ đứng trong thế giới mỹ thuật đương đại. Họ cần sự hỗ trợ của những nhà hảo tâm, những tâm hồn yêu nghệ thuật sẵn lòng giúp đỡ họ.
Tiểu sử về chúng tôi
Quỹ Đông Sơn Ngày nay là một tổ chức phi chính phủ phi lợi nhuận của Nhật Bản. Cái tên Đông Sơn của quỹ được dựa theo nền văn hóa Đông Sơn của Việt Nam. Thời kỳ này kéo dài từ thế kỷ thứ 4 đến thế kỷ thứ 1 trước công nguyên và sau này được đặt cho làng Đông Sơn bên bờ sông Mã, tỉnh Thanh Hóa. Có rất nhiều vật dụng cổ quan trọng đã không được tìm thấy ở làng này. Song, nền văn hóa Đông Sơn được đặc biệt biết đến bởi những sản phẩm bằng đồng tuyệt đẹp và nhiều tài năng nghệ thuật khác.
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