Mads magazine d'art de saigon – volume #1 by MADS – Magazine d'Art De Saigon

Magazine d'Art De Saigon

#HELPFUL #AWARE #HONEST Magazine d'Art #PASSIONATE De Saigon #SENSITIVE #WOODCUT #HANDMADE #PRINTMAKING #EXPERIMENTAL #ILLUSTRATION #PRINTS #PRINTMAKING #DIYPRINTS #EXPERIMENT #CONTEMPORARYART #TUANNGOCPHOTOGRAPHY #NOIRFOTO #BWLOVER #DARKROOM

Magazine d'A De Saigon

#SILVERPRINT #LACQUERPAINTING #TRADITONALLACQUER #SAIGONESE #MIXMEDIA #SELFOBSESSION #MYTHICAL #CREATURE #FROM #THE #TROPICS #ANNG #ANNGSHILL #DOISTUDIO #LINEART #BOLD #DISCIPLINE #OPEN #NATURE #CURIOUS

Magazine d'Ar De Saigon

Magazine d'Art De Saigon

Kelly Padgett

Jack Clayton

Photography means to me: Documenting time and space

Printmaking means to me: Experimentation, using intuitive methods to achieve unique effects! I like the problem solving aspect of the printmaking process and also the expressive limitations and possibilities provided by the natural structure of the medium.

When I frame the image: I’m looking for that brief instance where everything comes together. A camera is: A memory box. #HELPFUL #AWARE #HONEST #PASSIONATE #SENSITIVE

When I print: I like to allow freedom into my actions and experiment with unusual methods of carving or mark making. Bright colours and careful layering allow me to build the image step by step, constantly changing and evolving as I go. A woodblock is: The start of a new image! Once I have seen the block I start to build a mental picture of the final image and can work from there. #WOODCUT #HANDMADE #PRINTMAKING #EXPERIMENTAL #ILLUSTRATION

Diep

Yanneth Albornoz

Lacquer painting means to me: The combination of patience and beauty of the material that comes from nature.

Illustration means to me: My language, my other voice.

When I paint: The effect is always different each time, disappointment or an amazing surprise. That is why lacquer painting is never copied. A brush is: Is anything I can use to create textures. #LACQUERPAINTING #TRADITONALLACQUER #SAIGONESE #MIXMEDIA #SELFOBSESSION

When I create: It is like transferring energy in other forms, see things happening… it is interesting. A canvas is: The hard drive of my mind and my heart. Painting means to me: It is that time of the year… When I paint: It is un-easy at the beginning. In the end, I ask myself why I stopped in the first place. A brush is: Not to be understood or tamed #MYTHICAL #CREATURE #FROM #THE #TROPICS

Nathan Larson

Tuan Ngoc

Printmaking means to me: Going through a process, working from back to front and slowly building an image from shape to shape, colour to colour.

Photography means to me: My life.

When I print: It’s like a game of chess. It’s a very methodical craft and you have to be aware of the moves ahead. Changing the steps in a process can change the outcome of the image.

A camera is: A tool.

When I frame the image: I follow my instinct.

#TUANNGOCPHOTOGRAPHY #NOIRFOTO #BWLOVER #DARKROOM #SILVERPRINT

A silk screen: Is a lot of fun. #PRINTS #PRINTMAKING #DIYPRINTS #EXPERIMENT #CONTEMPORARYART

The Anng Illustration means to me: Writing everything I see through my eyes down on those white papers. When I create: I try my best to make my work both realistic and unrealistic, logic and illogical, personal and general, defined and undefined, detailed and very detailed.

Luu Chau Minh #BOLD #DISCIPLINE #OPEN #NATURE #CURIOUS

A canvas: Is not only a blank sheet to be fulfilled but also a channel to tell all stories deep down inside artists’ souls. #ANNG #ANNGSHILL #DOISTUDIO #LINEART

FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER

Kelly Padgett #HELPFUL | #AWARE | #HONEST | #PASSIONATE | #SENSITIVE

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It has to be the magic of capturing a moment in time and being able to hold that moment in my hands.

y name is Kelly Padgett, I currently live in Apex, North Carolina which is a suburb of Raleigh. I lived in Vietnam for approximately four years, and I still have close ties to the country. I believe my first camera would have been a disposable camera, the type that requires you to send the entire camera in for development. Later I started using my parents Canon Photura, which is an automatic point and shoot style camera.

Growing up I had to use or play with whatever I could get my hands on. Other cameras I experimented with were things like the Canon AE-1 and the Nikon N65. The first digital camera I ever owned was a Fuji Finepix compact camera. I don’t think photography was ever a conscious choice, it’s always been something I’ve been drawn to. It has to be the magic of capturing a moment in time and being able to hold that moment in my hands.

tory of Life, Câu Chuyện Cuộc Sống, is the title of my ongoing project. Most everything we see of Vietnam feels like a well-polished travel brochure, I want people to see a personal side of both the country, and its people, that there’s a much deeper and complex side to both. I wanted to create something a bit different than others, by showing the intimate side of life in Vietnam.

WOODCUT PRINTMAKER | ILLUSTRATOR

jack clayton #WOODCUT | #HANDMADE | #PRINTMAKING | #EXPERIMENTAL | #ILLUSTRATION

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M Recently I have been looking at Vietnamese Dong Ho paintings from the north of Vietnam. I am intrigued by their use of natural materials to create beautiful, longlasting prints.

y name is Jack and I am a woodcut printmaker from England. I grew up in London. After that, I moved out to Canterbury and Leeds for my foundation in art then my degree in Graphic Arts & Design. After I graduated, I decided that I had enough of England. Together with a friend, I travelled to Australia to spend 2 years working and travelling. When my visa was up I wasn’t done! This led me to Asia. I travelled for 5 months then finally ended up living in Ho Chi Minh City where I have been for the last five years. Whilst living in Ho Chi Minh City I have been an active member of the local art scene. It all started by contributing to art markets and events. I have now started to host woodcut workshops for adults to learn printmaking skills. I also teach creative classes to kids. I try to exhibit as much as possible too. My recent exhibition was at Soma Art Café in District 2, the opening was 27th January. Throughout my early artistic life, even into my degree, my tutors suggested printmaking as a medium. They thought that it would fit my style of illustration. But, I wasn’t convinced, sticking to my preferred drawing/collage/ photography style. Yet, in the last year of university I found the medium of woodcut and I have been carving ever since.

For my whole life, I have been interested in drawing. In my childhood, I used to love reading books like Roald Dahl’s ‘The BFG’. Looking at the pictures, I was always interested in being able to re-create them. My grandfather was a brilliant magician who was part of the magic circle. He always showed me hundreds of tricks without revealing the secrets. That really inspired me into the world of illusions and tricks of the eye! Artists that have inspired me come from a range of times, practices and mediums. For printmakers, I have always loved the works of M.C Escher, Frans Masereel (I completed a short residency at his centrum in Kasterlee through university), The German Expressionists and also Japanese woodcuts from the Ukiyo-e era. Recently I have been looking at Vietnamese Dong Ho paintings from the north of Vietnam. I am intrigued by their use of natural materials to create beautiful, long-lasting prints. Other influences include Francis Bacon, Dali and the surrealists, primitive art such as the indigenous cave paintings in Australia (which I was lucky enough to see whilst living in Kakadu National Park). Also through university, I was interested in a lot of the ‘skater art’ such as that by Bryan Mcgee and ‘The Beautiful Losers’.

My most difficult project has to be the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Saigon Compassâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; illustration. It took me many months and it got thrown to the back of the studio on many occasions and left for weeks on end. It was a truly mammoth task. To sum up the city and each of the districts into one single cohesive object. But, I was happy with the outcome and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still now one of my favourite pieces to date. When I create a print or illustration, my aim is for it to resonate with the viewer personally. Perhaps spark a nostalgic memory or even make them contemplate themselves. I want the viewer to look through the aesthetics and bright colours to gain a better understanding of the subject. All whilst touching on the humorous side of human nature and practices. The actual process of carving the wood is quite therapeutic. After all the hours of graft,

there is nothing quite as satisfying as pulling the final layer print from the block and seeing the image revealed. I like the fact that you never know what the final image will look like until the very end. There are many factors out of your control. Especially with regards to the many layer reduction process. In the coming years, I will work to combine my practice into a more cohesive portfolio. Also, expand on the medium of woodcut by involving paints and illustrations into the prints. Plus look to work on a bigger scale, with a more free approach. I have a habit of sticking in my comfort zone which I would like to break away from. I want to challenge myself more plus I would like to exhibit more frequently.

treet food Quadriptych is my latest work and is a series of 4 images, designed to be put together to make a larger image. The main edition is a compilation of all 4 printed by hand onto authentic Vietnamese Dzo Diep paper. It uses 4 blocks each with a 3-layer reduction process. The paper is extremely fragile compared to other types. You have to be ultra careful when printing and some small in-perfections are to be expected. For me, this gives them a unique quality which matches the old hand-painted street signs seen on small shops/carts around the country. It mimics the common aesthetic of old, naturally decaying walls which can be seen everywhere in Ho Chi Minh City. It is also a common link to the historical past. Trying to capture this same aesthetic in my woodcuts, by using the expressive limitations of my materials and medium, was a challenge.

Another challenge of this project was to shine a light on a common sound heard everywhere through the streets of this city. ‘Hot Vit Lon’ or ‘Balut’, ‘Hot Vit Dua’, ‘Truong Cut Long’ and ‘Bap Xao Day’ are a selection of street foods. They are commonly served together on drive-by food carts around the city. The sellers blare out the names repeatedly on their built-in stereos. Each woodblock was assigned a dish. I chose to make 4 separate dishes as these were the original food snacks on offer and it is also a lucky number! #VIETNAM #SAIGON #WOODCUT #STREETFOOD #PRINTMAKING

FINE ARTIST

Nathan larson #PRINTS | #PRINTMAKING | #DIYPRINTS | #EXPERIMENT | #CONTEMPORARYART

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What made me fall in love with printmaking would have to be the process. It is a very methodical craft and it gives me the time to think things through. Starting a print is probably the most exciting because there are many different approaches that could be taken to make the print exist. The element of play gives a number of variations on the print and it comes down to choosing the best one. The ones that are unused are stored away for a later date. I always have something to do when I go to the studio.

ey all, my name is Nathan Larson and I was born and raised in London ON, Canada. In the 70’s, London was quite the scene and some great Canadian artist came from there. I went to Fanshawe College and took the fine arts program and graduated in 2004 with a diploma in fine arts. From there I went to NSCAD University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and really explored the art-making process. Originally signing up for photo courses, I spent hours in the dark room. This was my mad scientist lab where I played around with DIY cameras and DIY Enlargers. I was really exploring what a photograph was. At the midpoint of that exploration, the program made the shift from manual to digital as well as the content of the program. It became focused on being a documentary/photojournalism program. At that time, I was not interested in that style of photography. I wanted to continue with my exploratory methods so I made the switch to painting and drawing. I incorporated printing techniques for my work and set out to develop my own visual language. I graduated in 2006 and since then, I’ve been working away developing my craft, utilising aspects from the photo, drawing painting and print. I create work that has a balanced blend of these disciplines.

Being a child of the 80’s I was pretty much left to my own devices. This is where I learned to be creative with the things around me, living in my imagination and frustrating my teachers along the way. There was always paper, pencils and paints at my disposal and I would spend hours drawing my action figures, cutting them out and creating scenes that I felt should have been in Star Wars. On shopping trips, I was always asking for paint by numbers sets or comic books. I was your average 80’s kid. It wasn’t until I was in grade 11 that I really wanted to follow this path. I was really inspired by the art history unit and from there, I wanted to contribute to art history. It’s difficult to put myself into a discipline because my work has a lot of reference points. However, the last couple of years, I have been really exploring printing techniques. It has been a bit of a challenge due to the lack of presses available in Vietnam, but with a little bit of creativity, I am able to get to a close proximity of traditional prints. Also, availability of silk screens has been to my advantage. I really like the quality of line that comes from dry-point printing and the smoothness of colour in silk screened prints. Every day at the studio is an adventure.

he project that I will go into detail about is the “Small Favours” series. Saigon Artbook, SGAB, approached me. They asked if I was interested in contributing to the publication. Nothing was set in stone and they were finding the artists that they wanted to use. I pitched some ideas to the team. All dealing with life in Saigon, but the topic that resonated was the topic of traffic. Anyone that has visited Saigon usually has two things that they comment on: the food and the traffic. Whether you love it or hate it, traffic is a topic that generates a lot of different conversations. That made me excited. The conversations made me interested. But, as the project developed, and with the intent of an installation, I wanted to change perspective and views on traffic. Instead of being frustrated or scared, I wanted people to enjoy themselves. Through the use of the installation, I wanted to recreate the feel of being in traffic. Yet, doing it with a smile instead of scorn. As the installation was set and activated by the audience, I realised something. That this project was not only about traffic but also about the people. It’s amazing when we are driving, we all collectively work together to navigate this shared space. A shared space which is shrinking. The inspiration came from a conversation that I was having with a friend. He raised an interesting point comparing driving in North America to driving here. At the time, I was prone to road rage. He brought up the point

that since we are in Saigon it has its own rules of the road. Maybe the person raging in traffic was the asshole in the situation. This changed my perspective on the topic. I started to go out with understanding and sensitivity. I began to accept the conventions of the road. Then I realised that we are all on errands, going from one small favour to the next. The most difficult aspect of this project was at the beginning. When trying to get cohesion with large-scale prints. I was working together with Shyevin S’ng from Vin Gallery. She was curating the exhibit, and man did she ever challenge me. She was not afraid to say when something wasn’t working or if a piece needed something else. She was tough. Yet, I really appreciated this approach. She didn’t have the answers and this led to a lot of experimenting and trial and error. It was frustrating at times. Because, if something didn’t work out, that print went to the A/P pile (artist’s proof) and I had to start from scratch. The benefit of this was I got quick at making prints and I fine-tuned the process. All the images were captured around Saigon. I would get up early in the morning, head out on my bicycle and go looking for images that summed up Saigon Traffic. In the beginning, I was looking for delivery type vehicles. As the project developed, I started looking for a good cross-section of what we encounter everyday driving.

What inspires me the most is the location that we’re in and day to day life. In the next few years, I’m still going to be doing what I’m doing now. Hopefully, my audience will be bigger and I can focus on this full time. My advice to other artist isn’t anything steeped in sage wisdom, it is just to keep playing. Art is created through play and this is where we get our enjoyment. That’s the approach I take and I always leave the studio satisfied. Also, make something every day. Whether you use it or not, everything begins with a mark on a page and we all have to start somewhere.

#SAIGONTRAFFIC #SMALLFAVORS #TRAFFICJAM #MOTORBIKES #EVERYDAY

FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER

Tuan Ngoc #TUANNGOCPHOTOGRAPHY | #NOIRFOTO | #BWLOVER | #DARKROOM | #SILVERPRINT

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I always loved Black & White (B/W) film. With my new and only darkroom in town, I specialise in B/W photography only, completely analogue.

am a Hanoi born photographer. I worked for Deloitte, studied e-commerce in Sweden and wandered about Paris. Now, I am running a professional wet darkroom in Saigon which I opened since April 2017. Over times, I have had too many cameras to remember them all. My main camera these days is the Pentax 67 with Kodak Tri-X and Ilford HP5 Plus film. I always loved Black & White (B/W) film. With my new and only darkroom in town,

I specialise in B/W photography only, completely analogue. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why?â&#x20AC;?, because of its look and feel. It is very different and to me, photography is all about emotion. B/W film does that best. Film photography is magic; you turn time and light to prints that you can hold in your hand. I want to become the best printer in Vietnam. To offer international printing quality. Also, to improve as a photographer and put on more exhibitions. Practice makes perfect as they say.

“P

aris, a dream wanderer”, a project born in Paris, France. I made silver gelatin prints of the B/W negatives captured on the streets of Paris. Now that I have a fully functioning darkroom, I can print the best quality pictures. My youthful dream of Paris comes to light again. Paris is a city of love, young people in love, lovers’ dream. Inspiration came from many sources. Such as the book “Paris mon amour”, works

of Robert Doisneau, Jeanloup Sieff, Brassai to mention a few. I captured these images between 2006 and 2010. Finding the time to print my own personal work was my biggest challenge. #PARIS #DREAM #STREET #SILVERPRINT #LOVE

FINE ART PAINTER

diep #LACQUERPAINTING | #TRADITONALLACQUER | #SAIGONESE | #MIXMEDIA | #SELFOBSESSION

The technique in lacquer painting is an inheritance. Passed down through generations.

he sun, the tropical heat, the crowds and at night, the neon lights are always on. This is Saigon. My hometown. Saigon feels young. Trends are surfacing fast and artists keep themselves in the forefront. Access to resources and creative materials makes it easier to work with art. I am Diep. I study lacquer painting at the Ho Chi Minh University of Fine Arts. I observe the changing Saigon. The first two years at university, we studied the basics as well as trying out new media/art forms. In the third year, I explored my favourite art forms. Oil painting, traditional lacquer and silk paintings. I enjoyed exploring the art forms. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always fall in love with the final artwork. Yet, you feel it when you see the process. Each image starts with the idea sketched on paper. To me, the pigment is the most flexible and suitable material at this stage. The pigment is also a major component in the lacquer paint mixture. It is used to create a variety of colours. The ideas in my paintings stem from the rhythm of the city. I like the crowded streets. The neon lights are always bright, but also make me feel lonely. That is what I wanted to show in my paintings, that noisy loneliness. When the night falls, the children rush into the many playgrounds. The darkness arrives after 6 pm. Within 30 minutes it is dark. During the day the children have to be at school. Only at night, that messy beauty

appears in my eyes. I sit there for hours, sketching, memorising the sneaky glances of children. The task of each generation of painters is to show the life and characteristics of their time. I try to incorporate that into my lacquer paintings. To use an old traditional art form and add a modern look to it. Lacquer painting is not only in Vietnam. Korea, China, Japan and Myanmar have also a tradition of lacquer painting. As there are many countries, there are also many techniques. My future hope is to be able to learn as much as possible. To combine that knowledge and make the techniques richer. The technique in lacquer painting is an inheritance. Passed down through generations. If I cannot understand how the seniors make it, my own path to understanding is limited. This is my challenge. When I am standing in front of the masterpieces made by Hoang Tram, I am filled with emotions. Deep layers of paint, yet, the paint surface is perfectly flat. Flat as well as smooth as thin layers of water covering the whole painting. This is the technical beauty I seek to master with my own works. Using old craftsmanship with modern motifs. This is the direction I am pursuing. #LACQUERPAINTING #TRADITONALLACQUER #SAIGONESE #MIXMEDIA #SELFOBSESSION

ILLUSTRATOR & SURFER

Yanneth Albornoz #MYTHICAL | #CREATURE | #FROM | #THE | #TROPICS

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I am a person who does not attach to anything, not a medium neither a style or a pencil. I do how I feel. I find elements around and I use them.

ola, my name is Yanneth, I was made in the Republic of Panama. I grew up in the Panama Canal Zone. Watching big ships passing by and waving to strangers. Listening to the Fleetwood Mac and Madonna through the American Military radio station. I used to climb my favourite tree, an avocado tree (before they were so hipster). I grew up between Chile and Ecuador. I was being hosted by people in their houses, small hotel rooms and one Hare Krishna temple. I returned to my country at the age of 14. Then I started working in a weekly newspaper. I was creating caricatures stories of social matter for a period of 5 years. Me, now? well… I live my life doing all I love to do. I have made my lifestyle part of my creative process. It is a way to find more experiences that enrich the insights for my clients and my own artistic proposal. Brandfulness is my own branding trademark. Brandfulness creates brands from their core honest essence. I guide brands to identify

important aspects that will lead to their growth based on their own uniqueness. In between, I am surfing around Sri Lanka, Panama, Bali and Vietnam. I am always looking forward to finding more destinations. I use to grab whatever I can use to express myself. My first camera was a “Polaroid style” camera I made by myself. I drew it on a piece of paper and cut it out and stapled it together. I inserted the “Polaroid photos” inside. I started taking portraits of strangers and friends of my father I found in his workplace. When I gave them the instant photo, the portrait was a drawing that I had already made. It would be a drawing of a cockroach or a cricket or a cat or something like that. People used to laugh a lot. So I was a photographer AND a portrait artist. I was about 5 or 6 years old at that time. I am a person who does not attach to anything, not a medium neither a style or a pencil. I do how I feel. I find elements around and I use them.

often do not plan anything I do, I flow in what I feel and I express the way that is developing. The first time I arrived in Vietnam I was pretty shocked. I had already travelled and lived in some countries but never to Asia, and it taught me a big lesson of being humble. I find it fascinating every single element that was totally new and even nonsense to me. Little plastic bags to put the fish sauce. Tons of ice for a glass of Nuoc Mia (sugar cane juice) and maybe 3 or 4 drop of Nuoc Mia. The Banh Bao for me was like a surprise box. You got this thick layer of dough and then you find a little tiny egg inside. OMG. It blew my mind! and I loved it. I just felt I had landed in the perfect place to continue my crazy life story. I embrace it. Just the way I see things…I am not intending to say or send any message intentionally. I just see life with humour and a bit of sarcasm. I think I learned to bring a funny side to reality. The base of most of what I do is to create concepts and twisted point of view. A flowing expression. Not planned. I only plan very carefully the communication I create for my clients in brand creation. I find a balance between being an artist and a brand creator (I write about it in my LinkedIn articles). I am not fixed on anything. I have not even asked myself what inspires me. Yet, I know that by nature I am a curious explorer. A person who will open the doors. Climbing the tree to find out how things look from that side. I will choose the destination at the last minute. I will become the best friend for one day to a stranger. I will be the person who’s pushing the red button (unintentionally he he he). and then say… I’m sorry. But, I promise I will make it look like a piece of art :) I love obstacles, detours, closed doors, change of paths. I find it fascinating when LIFE changes my “little plan”. Life is more powerful and I don’t fight with her. I am a surfer and I learned to take the wave and surf gracefully.

Before, when “obstacles” happened I used to ask “why this?”, “why that?”. Now, I am not judging the moment and the elements in it. I am shifting into “surprise me” mode. More and more, obstacles are symbols to me, messages and signs. Obstacles are my guides. I think illustration is just a tool for me. I love to be able to express myself, not attached to illustration or painting or anything. Just freedom to express. Illustration is like my therapist at times, my best friend as well. I process my mind through images and illustrations, not much words. mmm… Well, now that I read it myself, I think, yes, I am in love with illustration (sniff). Sorry, I was in denial, I love you! I do not have a person to get inspired by. I get fascinated by life itself. I love surfing and nature, I love the simple things and the complexity behind that. The presence of my father is as well very impactful in some ways. I wish he can see or feel all my adventures. My hardest time was creating and be responsible to deliver work while processing the passing of my father. I see myself travelling between Germany, Panama and islands in Asia. Surfing great waves and sharing with other sea creatures. But, let’s see what life has prepared for me. I will update you in another interview about where I am. I can say this and that. For me, the destination is not as important as the process. Seek inward, trust your path, un-layer your voice, that is, if you want, of course (smiling) If you want to go to McDonald’s. Well, go. #VIETNAMESEFOOD #VIETNAM #NUOCMAM #POPULARCULTURE #FALSEADVERTISING

ILLUSTRATOR

the anng #ANNG | #ANNGSHILL | #DOISTUDIO | #LINEART

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My love for art is not academic and philosophical. But, simple and immense.

raduating as a business student, I hardly made a big decision to turn my life in a different direction. With the giant passion for art, I was immediately into line art. Line art is a way to describe everything with only lines and lines. And I could never deny how hard it was, from an amateur, to stand out, even a bit, from those talented artists. My love for art is not academic and philosophical. But, simple and immense. Like how I realise the way I convinced the world, that I am too, in love with art. How I’ve managed to raise it up until now was so honest and vulnerable. My journey of jumping from a business-background student to a recognised artist. As enjoyable as telling the world my hidden stories, or as touched, as when I’ve got my first work printed. People might think art is a way to feel real things in an unreal way. I believe it is a real way to feel unreal things. There is no specific

source of inspiration. All my work is created with sorrow and tears, with joy and smile. Like the chain of hills, continuously up and down. Like one’s life, along with tears and happiness, never stops waving. I do not hope that you will love my work, or get impressed by the details. What I expect is that you will find yourself somewhere in them, in those stories I’m trying to tell. There were a lot of works done before I got completely satisfied with “Bounders”. That one I recognise as my first official artwork. “Bounders” was finished based on the idiom “Grass is always greener on the other side”. Every existing individual in the world has their own limitations and suffers. Still, we are not in the others’ shoes and humans were born by greed. One is always longing for “the other’s shoes” without knowing everything has its cost. For no matter which case or shoes are we in, we will for sure face limitations and suffer in those particular situations.

ith the motivation given by my team leader, my desire to protect and preserve the Vietnamese soul was awakened. Vietnamese fairy tales are a precious source of lessons. They remind young generations of their origins and to preserve our country’s traditions. My main obstacle is time management. I have to run my own business and secretly do illustrations at the same time. My hardest challenge is to escape from the huge shadow of my master. As both of us are following the same style, sometimes people mistake my works with my master’s works. To stand on my own feet, I acknowledge that I need to find my own way to go on with this style. Since I was a child, I always have many little dreams and scenes in my mind. Some are realistic, some are logic, some are romantic

but they are all true feelings. Photography, painting or illustration is just a way to make those dreams alive. I chose illustration by hand drawings. It is like writing your own stories down by lines, by pencil, by pen, by dots. Isn’t it so interesting? In the next 2 years, it would be great if I have my own art studio for displaying artworks and ceramic, where people can come visit, bring home works they love. Besides, I also dream to show my art over the world, exchange knowledge with international artists and have chances to do solo exhibitions. It doesn’t matter if you were born for art, it matters if you live every second of your life with art. It doesn’t matter if you were born to be an artist, it matters if you keep practising and embrace your whole life by passion.

FINE ART PAINTER

luu chau minh #BOLD | #DISCIPLINE | #OPEN | #NATURE | #CURIOUS

Once your brush touches the delicate and super-absorbent paper, the ink bleeds like magic.

ello, my name is Luu Chau Minh, a Chinese watercolour artist from Vinh Long. I started watercolour painting since I was a child. It is a family tradition. Chinese watercolour is one of the oldest painting media in the world. I love painting flowers and nature. Because, where I grew up, our house was in the countryside. Surrounded by beautiful countryside sceneries. I majored in lacquer at the University of Fine Art of Ho Chi Minh. Yet, I spend most my time painting in watercolour. What I love about watercolour is the way it bleeds on rice paper. Rice paper is a traditionally made paper. It is used in all Chinese watercolour painting and calligraphy. Once your brush touches the delicate and super-absorbent paper, the ink bleeds like magic. That also makes it difficult to fix a

mistake, but once you love something, you have to love the ugly part too. I get my inspiration from observing. By studying nature very carefully, plants or animals. If I paint a lotus, I would study the way the lotus grows in nature from blossoming to withering. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very interesting, and a fun part for me. In Chinese watercolour, there is an element of white space in every painting. We usually follow a 35/65 or 65/35 ratio between the ink and the white space area. Chinese watercolour is often described as an old medium. Thus, few young artists choose this art. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m hoping through my workshops, I could introduce this art to more people in Saigon. I want to show them that Chinese watercolour is a very beautiful art.

Classified Directory Apricot Gallery

Atiq Sai Gon

Vin Gallery

Spring Gallery

50–52 Mac Thi Buoi, Ben Nghe,

38 Le Cong Kieu, District 1,

6 Le Van Mien, Thao Đien,

1A Le Thi Hong Gam, District 1,

District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City

District 2, Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City

http://www.apricotgallery.com.vn/

https://www.facebook.com/

http://www.vingallery.com/showing

http://springgalleries.com/

Vietnam ART Gallery

Studio & Gallery

27i Tran Nhat Duat, Tan Đinh,

* * * Lotus Gallery

80 Nguyen Hue,

Long Thanh Art

District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

100 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia,

Ben Nghe Ward, District 1,

126 Hoang Van Thu,

http://cthomasgallery.com/

District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City

Nha Trang City

http://www.lotusgallery.vn

http://www.vietnampainting.vn/

http://www.longthanhart.com/

private museum

Salon Saigon

Ben Thanh Art & Frame

Art of Hanoi Vetnam

31C Le Quy Don, Ward 7,

6D Ngo Thoi Nhiem, Ward 7,

7 Nguyen Thiep,

1703B AZ Sky

District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

Ben Nghe Ward, District 1,

Building Dinhcong,

http://www.salonsaigon.com

Ho Chi Minh City

Hoangmai, Hanoi

* * *

Craig Thomas Gallery

* * *

Duc Minh art gallery –

* * * Eight gallery

* * *

http://benthanhart.com/

Art Gallery Triệu Đóa

8 Phung Khac Khoan

Hồng - Saigon Clay Art

* * *

http://artofhanoi.com/

Lafayette Building

Dia Projects

Eye Art Gallery

Ward Da Kao, District 1,

440/7 Nguyen Kiem, Ward 3,

Dia Studio, Street No 3,

No.45, No.1 Street – 26B,

Ho Chi Minh City

District Phu Nhuan,

Binh Hung, Ho Chi Minh City

Ward 7, Go Vap District,

http://eightgallery.com.vn/

Ho Chi Minh City

http://www.diaprojects.org/

Ho Chi Minh City

* * *

https://saigonclayart.com/

* * *

http://www.eyegalleryvn.com/

Arts Centre

*San*Art*

3rd Floor, 104A Xuan Thuy,

Nguyen Art Gallery

15 Nguyen U Di, Thao Đien,

3F, Cà Phê Thứ Bảy Trẻ,

Thao Dien, District 2,

No 31A, Van Mieu, Hanoi http://www.nguyenartgallery.com/

The Factory Contemporary

Art Space

District 2, Ho Chi Minh City

264B Nam Ky Khoi Nghia,

Ho Chi Minh City

http://factoryartscentre.com/

District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

https://www.facebook.com/

http://san-art.org/

artspace104/

* * *

of Fine Arts

* * * Couleurs d’Asie by Rehahn

97A Pho Đuc Chinh,

151/7 Dong Khoi, Floor 1,

53 Ho Tung Mau,

Ward Nguyen Thai Bin,

District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

https://www.facebook.com/

http://www.tudoart.com/

Ho Chi Minh City Museum

* * *

Couleurs.dAsie.Saigon

* * *

Art Vietnam Gallery/

* * * Tudo Art

No. 2, Alley 66, Yen Lac, Hanoi http://www.artvietnamgallery.com/

* * *

Mekong Gallery Ltd

* * *

ArtArt Supplies 18/6C Nguyen Cuu Van, Ward 17,

97A Pho Đuc Chinh,

* * * Tara & Kys Art Gallery

Ho Chi Minh City & Hanoi

Ho Chi Minh City

Ward Nguyen Thai Bin,

101 Dong Khoi, Ben Nghe Ward,

http://sophiesarttour.com/

District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

www.vietnamartist.com

http://www.tarakys.com/

* * *

https://shopee.vn/artartsupplies

Cty Oanh & Mads

PM Arts & Crafts Store

Ho Chi Minh City

152/11/8 Bình Long,

https://www.oanhmadsvn.com/

Phu Thanh, District Tan Phu,

Blue Space Art Gallery

Sophie’s Art Tour

District Bình Thanh,

* * *

* * * Galerie Quynh

* * * Huong Nga Fine Arts

118 Nguyen Van Thu,

76/2A Tay Hoa Street, Phuoc

Ward Da Kao, District 1,

Long Ward, District 9,

* * * GRADO Art Studio

Ho Chi Minh City

170 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao

http://galeriequynh.com/

http://www.huongngafinearts.vn/

Dien, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City

Any suggestions or

http://www.grado-artstudio.com/

comments, please email us.

* * *

atiqsaigon/

* * *

Ho Chi Minh City https://www.pmhandmade.com

* * *