Mons in Music
In Debut Album 'Gió Thổi Mạnh,' Bluemato Yanks Us Along Their Escapist Journey
With youthful ennui turned energetic wanderlust, Bluemato’s "Gió Thổi Mạnh" album is a much-needed breeze for the underground indie scene of a suffocating Hanoi.
Jennifer Nguyen in Culture
[Photos] A Pre-Tet Wander Around a Holiday-Ready Hanoi
Tet has come and gone, but the memories remain.
Elise Luong in Music
Noise as Material: Hanoi's Soundscapes Revisited
In a study conducted in Hanoi in 2018 by the Institute of Occupational Health and Environment, the average noise on 12 main roads and junctions ranged from a deafening 77.8 - 78.1 decibels (dBA) in the daytime and 65.3 - 75.7 at night, which is up to ten times the healthy recommended levels.
Elise Luong in Art
Q&A: Gallery Director Suzanne Lecht on the 'Gang of Five' and Building a House of Arts
Tucked in an alley south of Hai Ba Trung stands Suzanne Lecht’s glorious home, a magical abode crowned with an ancient nhà sàn from Mai Chau. After having lived there for more than 25 years, Suzanne reflects on her work as a dedicated patron of the arts and how Kali, her beloved turtle, connected with Mick Jagger.
Hung Tran in Music
How LiveSpace, a New Music Initiative, Aims to Nurture Vietnam's Indie Musicians
A new joint initiative towards a more realized musical landscape extends the commitment of some of Vietnam’s key cultural players.
Urbanist Hanoi in Culture
[Video] A Dynamic Visual Ode to Hanoi, a City of Paradoxes
Cái Gốc (The Origin) is the latest release from music producer and video director Robin Marty and his collaborator Jakub Zajac.
Urbanist Hanoi in Culture
[Photos] Bask in the Festive Spirit at Hanoi's Holiday Decoration Street
With Christmas just around the corner, businesses and public places in Hanoi are awash in red and winter-themed paraphernalia. Crowds of young Hanoians flock to Phố Hàng Mã, one of the city’s major knick-knack markets, to take in the festive spirit.
Bex Hughes in Music
Crate-Digging for Audio Gold at the Second Hanoi Records Day
In September of this year, Quan Cam played host to VOC Record’s second Hanoi Records Day. Urbanist Hanoi met with the organizers and collectors to learn more about Vietnam’s growing culture of crate diggers.
Saigoneer in Arts & Culture
Nguyen Van Thong, Who Captured Thich Quang Duc’s Self-Immolation, Dies at 94
Although American photojournalist Malcolm Browne is famous for his photos capturing the historical moment in 1963, Browne wasn’t the only one at the scene with a camera.
Paul Christiansen in Culture
The Harrowing History of Vietnam's Rubber Plantations
"Oh it’s easy to go to the rubber and hard to return, / Men leave their corpses, women depart as ghosts."
Saigoneer in Art
[Illustrations] Masashi Shimakawa Draws Snippets of Everyday Japanese Life
Each artwork acts as a point through which viewers are transported to a different dimension of reality.
Urbanist Hanoi in Art
[Photos] An Artist's 'Transparent' Paintings Juxtapose Cultural Loss With Modern Freedoms
Should a nation hold on to its cultural traditions, or cast them off and embrace new liberal attitudes?
Tim Bishop in Culture
How Vietnamese Runners Are Taking on 70km-Long Mountain Trails, and Winning
Ever wondered if you’ve got what it takes to run 70 kilometers? How about scaling a 2,300-meter mountain? Better still, could you imagine doing both of these things at the same time?
Urbanist Hanoi in Art
Hanoi to Redo Mosaic Mural Along Nghi Tam Street
A section of Hanoi’s mosaic mural, which entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s longest mural in 2010, is set to be redone.
Saigoneer in Film & TV
Vietnam's First-Ever Series on Netflix Is a South Korean Remake
The Korean-made original series released in 2016 was a hit in South Korea and many other countries, including Vietnam.
Saigoneer in Arts & Culture
[Photos] Taiwan's Diverse Society Embodied in Surrealist Street Photography
Chang Chao-Tang has been regarded as one of Taiwan's most influential photographers known for his mastery of surrealism. Chang's primarily black-and-white images reveal the absurdity of everyday life ...
Saigoneer in Film & TV
A 'Lao Hac' Adaptation Will Be Vietnam's First Film Starring a Dog
Film adaptations of literary works have been among the most well-received cinematic features in Vietnam in recent years, so it’s natural that ‘Lao Hac’ is coming to the big screen soon.
Saigoneer in Music
[Video] The Classic Tale of Mid-Autumn Retold Through Dazzling Visuals
The short animated animated short shimmers with millennial style and subversive salesmanship.
Urbanist Hanoi in Art
Bac Ninh Art Residency Opens Call for Artists
In a country with relatively few artist-in-residence programs, live.make.share represents a rare opportunity for cultural symbiosis and artistic development by giving international artists the ch...
Khoi Pham in Arts & Culture
[Illustrations] An Illustrated Alphabet of Vietnam's Tropical Fruits
Varying climate patterns and geographical topography have bestowed Vietnam with an impressive biodiversity. From temperate fare hailing from the Central Highlands like avocados, coffee and strawberrie...
Saigoneer in Music
Coracle Music Festival Returns to Ho Tram for Second Edition
After a successful first edition last year, the music festival will be held on the beach in Ho Tram for the second time November 29–30.
Chris Humphrey in Postcards
Hanoi Postcard No. 9: The Turtle God of Hồ Gươm
Hanoi's lakes, including Hồ Gươm, are brimming with fish, debris and memories of historical lore.
Paul Christiansen and Thi Nguyen in Literature
[Short Story] 'Deviate' by Tran Thi NgH
The interplay between lust and creativity, origins of capricious desires and the relationship between art and artist: 'Deviate,' by Vietnamese-writer Tran Thi NgH explores a multitude of themes a...
Chris Humphrey in Travel
[Photos] Inside Cambodia's Floating Village, Where 40% of People Are Vietnamese
Chong Kneas floating village, only 15 kilometers south of Siem Reap, is one of hundreds that line Tonle Sap Lake. Tens of thousands of families live in these clustered homes, around 40% of whom are Vi...
Saigoneer in Art
[Photos] Rare 20th-Century Dong Ho Paintings Depict a Society in Flux
The well-known woodcut folk paintings have always offered unique insights into the times during which they were produced.
Chris Humphrey in Art
[Photos] Sixty Square, Hanoi's Beloved Art Quarter, Reopens After Closure Earlier This Year
Upon opening at the beginning of 2018, Sixty Square thrilled Hanoi's young creative crowd. When it suddenly closed earlier this year, it left hearts broken. Now, they're back once again.
Bex Hughes in Music
Tiny Giant on New EP ‘Flying Mouse’ and Bringing Light Into Hanoi’s Greyness
The Hanoi duo’s debut release is so strong you’ll want to shout their name from the rooftops.
Chris Humphrey in Music
LAKES’ Debut EP is an Ambient Homage to Life in Hanoi
LAKES’ debut album draws inspiration as much from American electronic composer Tycho as it does from instrumental post-rock outfits, yet remains, thematically at least, firmly rooted in the Vietnamese...
