This is part of Manzi’s art programme supported by CDEF of the Danish Embassy in Vietnam. Marking her return to silk work after a deviation to ceramics, in ‘Beyond The Hills’, Phuong is showing her new series of delicate silk paintings and a minimalist installation, dealing with the question about self consciousness, time and personal space. ‘Beyond the Hills’ is part of Phuong’s visual diary which reflects her recent experience of loss, of life and death, it therefore, is a deeply personal work both in subject and production by an artist ready to listen to her intuition. Trained in the art of silk and oil painting at the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts University, Phuong (b. 1984 in Ho Chi Minh City) often humorously explores the experience of living in a society where one has to wear a kind of disguise in society, hiding … [Read more...]

NDO – The 2017 International Dance Festival officially opened in the northern province of Ninh Binh on the evening of September 16, promising to amaze dance lovers with the unique styles of dance from the participating countries. The week-long event has brought together 300 artists from 15 international troupes, representing 14 nations around the world, including Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Colombia, Singapore, Egypt, Japan, Indonesia, China, Bangledesh, Russia and Malaysia. The host country of Vietnam features the largest number of participants, with 200 dancers from the Vietnam Dance College, the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Vietnam University of Military Arts and Culture, the Sao Bien Dance & Music Theatre and arts contingents of Son La, Hoa Binh, Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang and Cao Bang provinces. The festival is among Vietnam’s big cultural events in 2017, seeking to foster cultural … [Read more...]

It provided a glimpse of this upcoming festival’s culture but also gave attendees a chance to make their own toys under the guidance of artisans. The Hanoi 1010 Cultural Exchange Space at 32 Vong Thi street, Buoi Ward, Tay Ho Dist, Hanoi was packed with parents and their children and many students, who were there to learn to make traditional Mid-Autumn toys with artisans. This workshop was hosted by My Hanoi.  Nguyen Thuy Hang from My Hanoi said, “My Hanoi organized this workshop as the opening event for a series of events celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival in September. The aim of this workshop is to preserve this ancient Vietnamese craft in the hope that traditional Mid-Autumn toys will not be replaced by imported toys and that the festival’s spirit will be kept alive.” Workshop participants will get hands-on experience … [Read more...]

It’s considered the second capital of Vietnam after Hue and the political, military, economic and cultural center of the south under the Nguyen dynasty. Today the building is in ruins but the authorities have decided to make Thanh Chiem a new tourist destination. The bastion citadel was built in 1602 by Lord Nguyen Hoang in Cau Huc and later rebuilt in Thanh Chiem, now Dien Phuong commune becoming a very important naval base. It welcomed many Western missionaries.  Between 1617 and 1625, Father Francisco De Pina, author of the "Methods of Latinization of Vietnamese" and "Vietnamese Grammar," learned Vietnamese, propagated Catholicism, and then taught Vietnamese to two missionaries, Frenchman Alexander de Rhodes, father of the alphabetical writing of the Vietnamese, and Antonio Fonte of Portugal.  Experts say Thanh Chiem bastion was the venue for Western … [Read more...]

The novel was penned in 1966 by Tran Dan. It took decades, however, before the novel was finally published in 2011. It won the Hanoi Writers’ Association Award for a novel that same year. Nha Nam has been working to introduce the novel to international copyright companies, including KL Management and Barbara J.Zitwer Agency in New York. Writer Tran Dan was posthumously awarded the State Prize in 2007. Photo: tacphammoi.net  "Crossroads and Lamposts is an amazing and unique literary work," said Joseph Lee, chairman of KL Management at a meeting with the late writer’s family. "Tran Dan is a great poet and novelist.” Through the KL Management’s network, Nha Nam sent an English introduction and part of an English translation by Australian-born David Payne, to European and American copyright companies. KL Management and the Barbara J.Zitwer Agency listed Crossroads and Lamposts among the … [Read more...]

When he got to the top of Mount Elbrus, 5,642m high, he proudly unfurled the Vietnamese flag and waved it in the air. “At that moment, I was filled with emotion. It seemed like every muscle in my body was revived and proud of being a Vietnamese who conquered this European peak,” Giang told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper from Russia. After reaching the top, the group of mountaineers began the six-hour journey back to camp 3,500 meters above sea level. From there, they took a specialized vehicle back to their shelter. Even though Giang was extremely happy at representing Vietnam in conquering one of the highest mountains in the world, he admitted the journey was far from easy due to severe weather. Mount Elbrus is in the Caucasus Mountains, and was formed around two million years ago after an impact between the Arab and … [Read more...]

This year marks the designer’s first time showing at the prestigious New York Fashion Week event that will be held at 4pm on Friday, September 8, 2017 in the Broadway Ballroom at the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan, 1605 Broadway, in New York City.  Award-winner Hoai Nam is a top fashion designer in his native Vietnam. He began designing in his early teens, and has gone on to build a highly successful career and brand that has been operating for over 20 years in the Vietnamese market. Do Trinh Hoai Nam’s designs are known for their dramatic and sophisticated flair, full of elegance and beauty. Great attention is paid to every detail of his collection, from the hand embroidery to the glamorous and luxurious gold leaf and gemstone embellishments. His latest Ao Dai couture collection is inspired by the story of the castle princess in the … [Read more...]

A scene taken from the program Hanoi's Saturday Night These performances, sometimes including “Chau van” - a highly rhythmic form of singing that often accompanies “Hau dong” (mediumship) rituals – are staged bythe Hanoi Cheo Theater at the Dai Nam Theater, No.89 Hue street, to rebuild public interest in this traditional art genre. “Quan Am Thi Kinh” (Goddess of Mercy), a story about the transcendental journey of a young, fair lady to her Buddhahood, is perhaps the most famous repertoire of classical Cheo plays. “Quan Am Thi Kinh” is one of a wide range of prize-winning Cheo works which have been on stage alternatively in Hanoi’s Saturday Night program since June. Emeritus Artist Thu Huyen, Vice Director of the Hanoi … [Read more...]

Artisan Ngo Dao Giang poses with a My Thien pottery vase.  Two artisans from different generations stand alone in doing everything they can to preserve the traditional pottery practiced for two hundred years in My Thien Village, in Chau O Town in Binh Son District. They are Dang Van Trinh, a fourth-generation practitioner and Ngo Dao Giang, 38. Trinh is the only devoted artisan that still practices the craft in a desperate attempt to preserve it.  He nostalgically recalls the village’s heyday when merchants would flock in sampans docked along the iconic Tra Bong River, to purchase the handmade wares. Members of The Nguyen Dynasty (1802 - 1945), regarded the items as prized offerings and gave them as gifts to other countries with which they had diplomatic relations. Trinh’s Dang … [Read more...]

An acrobatic performance called “Viet wings” earned Ngoc Anh and Thu Thuy of the Vietnam Circus and Vaudeville School the gold prize at the 2017 Circuba International Circus Festival in Cuba, where it won loud applause for its music, costumes, and bamboo pole props.  The duo is preparing for an upcoming tour of Spain, the UK, and Mexico. “Viet wings” succeeded artistically while raking in profits for the international organizers, according to Thu Thuy. “Circus performances with folk elements are always welcomed by foreign audiences. Performing abroad gives us the chance to learn from foreign artists techniques which can then be taught to Vietnamese students at home,” she said. Diversifying performances and exporting them to foreign markets is the goal of Vietnamese circus.  A balancing act by Nguyen Thi Ha and an … [Read more...]