Exhibition by Michael Hern

Opening: Thu 10 Jul 2014, 7 pm

DeciBel Lounge

79/2/5 Phan Ke Binh, D1, HCMC

You are invited to an exhibition by Michael Hern. His artworks are inspired from living in big cities and painting that surround him. Living in Seoul he worked on the reflected windows in skyscrapers and buildings crammed in small spaces.

Michael Hern graduated from Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (N.S.C.A.D.) in 2005 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Since graduation he has continued to paint and draw when he isn’t teaching. He has had exhibitions in South Korea, Canada and shown work around Vietnam.

In Vietnam he paints old homes which show evidence of their age and history. The drawings are entitled stacked because of the desperation of space available in condensed neighbourhoods resulting in stacking up of rooms on top of one another. Of course this is exaggerated in the drawings; the locations exist, yet they are manipulated. The other drawings of famous locations are part of an ongoing project entitled every building in Ho Chi Minh.   

Exhibition “Hey friends, listen up”

Exhibition: 03 – 31 Jul 2014, 10 am – 10 pm

Zones R2 – B1, Food Street, Royal City

72A Nguyen Trai, Hanoi

The exhibition “HEY FRIENDS, LISTEN UP” will display 120 most beautiful photos taken by 49 children of ethnic minorities (H’Mong, M’Nong, Raglai) from 3 provinces of Vietnam: Lao Cai, Dak Nong and Ninh Thuan. Each photo is a short moving realistic story which brings back memories from our childhood. Moreover, stories about schools, communities, families and friends from those photos help people understand how children see the world around them.

Free admission.

Vietnamese Sculpture in Taiwan

Exhibition: 28 Jun – 09 Jul 2014

Historical Japanese House

No.9, Nanlong Rd., Longtan Township, Taoyuan County 325, Taiwan

We would like to introduce the sculpture exhibition by Vietnamese artists: sculptors Pham Thai Binh, Khong Do Tuyen and curator Nguyen Anh Tuan.

Being an artist collective practicing in the concept of brings sculpture into the contemporary living space, New Form consists of sculptors living and working in Hanoi together with one curator. Founded in 2012, New Form collective’s art practice based on the search of the connection between architecture and sculpture. The collective tried to put the sculptural form in the organizational space thinking, sculpture experimentation in different contexts, searching for new possibility and new materials.

In Kotham project initiated by Outsiders Factory Art Collective held in Longton, Taiwan. New Form continued to carry out this concept especially in the works of two members Pham Thai Binh and Khong Do Tuyen. The works of the group expressed in such points:

- Creating a mass series of pieces using ready-made, recycled, cheap material at the location (Taiwan). According to the criteria and spirit of New Form, it was the sculpture experimentation in living space by new materials and new way of displaying. The artworks can be displayed in any spaces and has interaction with outside elements (as well as the environment). Thereby it presented to the audience about Vietnam contemporary sculpture through the creative thinking and artworks. At the same time, these artworks were interactive with the space and humans in the local context.

- In the works of Pham Thai Binh, he collected old letters from the older generations who kept them as a part of memories in their life. It is a part of a human being encoding by writing on papers. When transferring them into electronic mail, this part of memory was encoded by algorithms and transmitted by the networks protocols. The memories and private stories become very fast, convenient but easily forgotten and boring. The artist has transformed these old letters into small sculptures. He also took photo and explained the content of the letters in documents. When we put them together there are thousands of questions like “How can human emotions and memories exist in different physical forms?”, “And how can the true message being transferred?”… Coming to Taiwan, the artist collected newspapers both old and new and by chance there was some info about Vietnamese living in Taiwan. The story seems to be like an open door; from an individual story has connection with other stories inside a small community in a different space. These real ready-made objects, a strange land and the sculptors shared the same idea from Vietnam to Taiwan. This can create dialogs not within the exhibition space but inside the artworks itself.

- Khong Do Tuyen developed his sculptures like a part of the ready-made architecture. The cavity and the gap were used for developing the string structure like a combination of visual space. A sculpture comes from the idea of being tight in the artworks he followed before but still interacts with the space and the material structure. The artist uses materials close to the space like papers, wood, rope… and made an installation follow the interior design of a house. This is like a dialog and combination between the individual artistic idea and the location and story of the gallery space.

All the works produced in Taiwan displayed together with the works from Vietnam presents an interpretive process from concept to physical form. The change made by this shift from a familiar landscape into an alien one on the matter of culture and geography. It requires the skills to work with spontaneous materials in an unfamiliar place. The process itself was one of the concepts of the project. It is a self-adaptive process of the artists, which changed the behavior and thinking habit in a different space. The mobility, adaptability to find the way to be against or compromise with this identity/ ego of the artist is the key factor to formulate this art space.

Curator Nguyễn Anh Tuấn

Exhibition “Typography Space”

Opening: Wed 09 Jul 2014, 6.30 pm

Exhibition: 09 Jul – 09 Aug 2014

OZONE café

21B Dien Bien Phu, Hanoi

“Typography Space” art exhibition displays products by 23 young people: some are designers, some are students who major in different fields (languages, economics, technology, architecture, graphics, etc.). There are also high school students and housewives who joined, but we all share an interest in art.

“Typography Space” exhibition is a unique combination of Space and Typography. Our choice of 3 different spaces – the circular 3rd floor made of paper, the square 2nd floor made of wood and the 1st floor of the café – would bring you some interesting experience as you enjoy viewing our products.

There are plenty of stories to tell, but the most important is your feeling. Open your mind and step into the world of typography we created. Thanks for visiting and smile if you like our products!

Exhibition “Summer Meeting 2014″

Exhibition: 05 – 26 Jul 2014

Tu Do Gallery

53 Ho Tung Mau Street, District 1, HCMC

You are invited to a painting exhibition by 4 artists:

Nguyễn Duy Linh (1955, Hue City, Vietnam)

Lê Thánh Thư (1956, Qui Nhon City, Vietnam)

Kato Shojiro (1954, Tokyo, Japan)

Võ Xuân Huy (1970, Quang Tri Province, Vietnam)

The Festival of San Fermin in Hanoi

Sun 06 Jul 2014, 12 pm (noon)

THBC Spanish Tapas Bar

44, lane 31 Xuan Dieu Str, Hanoi

San Fermin is a celebration taking place annually in the city of Pamplona, in Spain. The main activity is a tour consisting of 849 meters in front of bulls and culminating in the bullring.

San Fermin in Hanoi is the emulation of San Fermin in Pamplona. However, it is very dangerous to let a real bull run around in Hanoi, so we use “other thing” instead.

Dress code: Please dress in white with red scarf

Special offers: Beers and montadito (Spanish food) for every participants

Contact: 043 718 8246

Korea Fantasy – Sound and Dance Performance

Sun 06 Jul 2014, 7.30 pm

Au Co Arts Center

08 Huynh Thuc Khang Str, Hanoi

You are invited to the performance “Korea Fantasy – Sound and Dance Performance” this Sunday with the participation of Chungnam Gugak Traditional Music Orchestra from Cheonan city. Founded in 1990 and being one of the South Korea’s leading orchestras, with approximately 1600 national and abroad performances, Chungnam Gugak is famous for their innovation based on tradition.

During their performances in Vietnam, the artist will present various traditional Korean artistic genres, such as traditional string instruments, concerts and traditional dance…..

No ticket sale, just invitation. Contact the Korean Cultural Center, phone: 04-944-5980 (ext. 100)

Exhibition “The Obsession”

Exhibition: 05 – 31 Jul 2014

Heritage Space

Dolphin Plaza, 17 Tran Binh, My Dinh, Ha Noi

You are invited to the exhibition entitled “The Obsession” by artist Ha Tri Hieu and sculptor Tran Duc Sy.

Two installments, one  story. Sculpture works, lacquer paintings. Three-dimensional feelings. Special artworks are created in a highly volatile period.

Screening of Film “Bi, Don’t be Afraid”

Fri 04 Jul 2014, 8 pm

Centre for Assistance and Development of Movie Talents

51 Tran Hung Dao Str (4th floor), Hanoi

At 8 pm on Friday 04 July 2014, TPD Center will organize a program on ‘Friday Night with Vietnam Cinema’ with the screening of the film Bi, Don’t be Afraid (director Phan Dang Di).

Different from other non-profit screenings on Saturday afternoon, the program Friday with Vietnam Cinema is a fundraising event. In this program, we are calling out for audiences’ contribution to continue the operation of TPD Center in the future.

About Bi, don’t be afraid

Year: 2010

Director: Di Phan Dang

Cast: Tran Tien, Hoa Thuy, Ha Phong, Thanh Minh

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 90 min

Language: Vietnamese with English subtitles

Synopsis: In an old house in Hanoi, Bi, a 6-year-old child lives with his parents, his aunt and their cook. His favorite playgrounds are an ice factory and the wild grass along the river. After being absent for years, his grandfather, seriously ill, reappears and settles at their house. While Bi gets closer to his grandfather, his father tries to avoid any contact with his family. Every night, he gets drunk and goes and see his masseuse, for whom he feels a quiet strong desire. Bi’s mother turns a blind eye on it. The aunt, still single, meets a 16-year-old young boy in the bus. Her attraction to him moves her deeply.

Awards:

- ACID/CCAS Award – Cannes Film Festival

- Best First Feature Film and Best Cinematography Stockholm International Film Festival.

- Special Mention Vancouver International Film Festival

- New Talent Award – Asia-Hong Kong Film Festival.

Quotes

“With two overdone sex scenes, Bi Don’t Be Afraid is easily one of the most controversial films in Vietnam recently and polarising critics’ opinions, but it offers more than explicit nudity to the artsy minds” Trang Le – Japan Cinema

“Bi, Don’t Be Afraid is a complicated and difficult film, yet human and infinitely relatable, and well worth watching.” Tom Ellis – Asian American Film Festival 2011

Entry: 20,000 VND (donation for TPD’s fund for movie talents)

Music Night with Visa from Hong Kong

Fri 04 Jul 2014, 10 pm

The Observatory

Corner of Le Lai and Ton That Tung, Dist.1, HCMC

VISA [Cliché Records, HongKong] will be coming to HCMC on FRIDAY 4th JULY for a party that’s going to showcase what this man has been achieving within the very healthy underground scene of Hong Kong.

He’s been playing alongside some of the most cutting-edge djs and producers of our time and marking his city as a major node on the international electronic music circuit, and we are very excited to have him come and exchange some sounds with us.

Entry: 100,000 VND.

Introduction to Italian Folk Music Taranta

Sun 06 Jul 2014, 9.30 am

Casa Italia

18 Le Phung Hieu, Hanoi

Speaking of Italy, many of us must be well-known about the magic of Opera Lirica. How’s bout folk music in this country? Folk music had become an integral part of every country and also in Italy. The influence from many cultural streams has given this country a beautiful and charming folk music. Come to our presentation of folk music this Sunday – La taranta to enjoy and deepen your knowledge about music.

Free entry.

IndieGO! Night

Fri 04 Jul 2014, 8.30 pm

Hanoi Rock City

27/52 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho

IndieGO! Night is a gig comprised of 4 Alternative/Indie bands from Hanoi, both the veterans and the rising talents:

►Mimetals: The Force in Silence, Mimetals has returned to the live stage after a long time, with a new formation and more of their original songs, now completed and perfected.

►Ngọt: One of the rare acts that can infuse their unique vibe into each and every composition, Ngọt is swiftly establishing their place in the scene, with a growing, devoted fan base.

►Bluemato: A project of 3 young men from Hanoi, Bluemato performs and composes following the influence of contemporary Japanese pop-rock bands. A promising act to look out for in the future.

►CuộcSốngs: Having established their name in Hanoi’s rock scene, this grunge/alternative band is on their way to releasing their vol.2 LP, to the anticipation of many.

Tickets: 100k for Entry + 1 soft drink/beer of choice.

Photo Exhibition “The Unravelers: Adventures with Mathematics”

Exhibition: 01 – 31 Jul 2014

L’Espace

24 Tràng Tiền, Hà Nội

Reflecting the poetic side of mathematics, the exhibition is an initiative of Jean-François Dars, Annick Lesne and Anne Papillault which is drawn from a collection of photographs & articles by great scientists during their stay at IHES (Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques). The scientists look back on their discipline, scientific thoughts and their own life. Among them, in particular, is Professor Ngo Bao Chau.

Free entrance.

Mozart Cycle 2014 at L’Espace

09 and 10 Jul 2014, 8pm

L’Espace

24 Tràng Tiền, Hà Nội

You are invited to the classical concert titled Mozart Cycle 2014 at L’Espace this July.

The concert is a collaboration between The Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO) and L’Espace with the participation of conductor Kim Xuan Hieu and horn soloist Ta Tien Dat.

Program

Overture “Idomeneo” KV.366

Horn concerto No.3 in E Flat Major KV.447

Symphony No.38 in D Major “Praha” KV.504

Tickets:

Ticket price: 120000 VND

Special price for members of L’Espace and students: 60000 VND

Tickets are available at L’Espace from 09 Jun.

Floor Killer – The 4th National Recreational Dance Championship

05 and 06 Jul 2014, 11 am – 8.30 pm

Savico Megamall

7 Nguyen Van Linh, Long Bien, Hanoi

The 4th national recreational dance championship FlOOR KILLER is the annual tournament featuring the 6 most developing Hip Hop genres in the world: Breaking, Hip Hop, Locking, Popping, Waacking and House. This contest aims at professional and amateur dancers from Vietnam and from abroad. Teams and individuals will compete in form of knock-out competitions.

This year, the youth will be over enthusiastic with the strange, attractive and unique performances of the dancer from Vietnam and especially with the appearance of the champions from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Germany. Brilliant dancers in 5 Hip Hop genres from the USA, Korea, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam are invited to the referee team at the World level.

Uwe Donaubauer is a German Hip Hop champion and graduated from the FRK Dance Academy Austria as a Hip Hop, Breakdance and Locking instructor. From 2007 –  

2013 he has participated in numerous competitions in Europe and Asia and won many awards. Since 2013 he has also been acting BOTY Germany winner.

Louis Becker is one of the best-known B-Boys in Germany. He studied from 2004 to 2009 at Die Etage – the school of performing Art, Artist, Acrobat and has a decree of the Tanzzwiet Dance School Berlin Hip-Hop. From 2005 – 2013 he also participated at numerous battles in Europe and Asia and reached the first place with B-town Allstars at “Battle of the Year Germany”.

Free entry.

Contact:

Mr. Nguyen Viet Thanh, Big Toe

Email: [email protected]

Screening of “Augustine”

Fri 04 Jul 2014, 8 pm

L’Espace

24 Tràng Tiền, Hà Nội

You are invited to the screening of “Augustine” ( France, 2012, 101 mins) directed by Alice Winocour.

For more information about synopsis, please see L’Espace website (in French) or refer to the Vietnamese version of this post.

Language: French with Vietnamese subtitle.

Tickets:

Ticket price: 40 000 VND

Special price for members of L’Espace and students: 20 000 VND

Tickets are available at L’Espace.

2013 Welsh Music Prize Winner Georgia Ruth to Perform in Vietnam

Tue 01 Jul 2014, 8 pm

HCMC Conservatory of Music

112 Nguyen Du Street, Ward 1, HCMC

The Welsh harpist, singer-songwriter and her band will play in Ho Chi Minh City on 1 July. Georgia Ruth’s exquisite songs which are “full of longing and melody” and her angelic serene voice will chill out the boiling hot midsummer weather in Vietnam.

Week of Pines, George Ruth’s debut album was out barely a year ago in May 2013 and immediately received enthusiastic praise from critics, hailing the album for its “mixture of soft pop and reimagined traditionals.” It was commended by The Independent as “a dazzling debut, rich with sweet pain and joy” and Georgia Ruth is named “one of the British folk discoveries of the year” by The Guardian.

Inspired by Georgia Ruth’s recent return to Wales, following stints living in Brighton and London, Week of Pines is unique in the way it represents the homecoming spirit through a “varied and intriguing collection of songs.”

This was beautifully described on the website of the Arts Council of Wales, “from the motorik drive of the title track, to the darker Eno-like string arrangements, the stark joyfulness of a Welsh sea shanty accompanied by wheezing reed organ, or the more wistful folk ballads: this is a varied and intriguing collection of songs.

“Having grown up with dad’s Merchant Navy sea stories (he once met Jacques Cousteau onboard the Calypso), a sea shanty was somewhat inevitable” This one, ‘Codi Angor’, was popular amongst the Welsh sailors in the Liverpool docks and if the album is a homecoming of sorts, this conveys the opposite: the excitement of leaving, of sailing out to sea.

‘Dovecote’ – with its clanging bells and mists – maintains the theme, but on a more abstract level: this is the leaving of old love. ‘Winter’, with its slow-march rhythm and redemptive lyrics, brings the album to a fitting close.”

“Week of Pines is a record about joyfulness, and coming home. And reclaiming things presumed gone. And grace, after making mistakes, that element of forgiveness and calm has been integral to this record.”

Tickets

Ticket prices: 300.000 VND, 200.000 VND, 80.000 VND for students

Please call 098 987 4517 or 0903 041 959 for ticket booking and delivery.

Exhibition “Letting Go”

Opening: Thu 03 Jul 2014, 6.30 pm

Exhibition: 03 – 09 Jul 2014

Vietnam Fine Arts Museum

66 Nguyen Thai Hoc St.

Hanoi

There are many ways to liberate one’s spiritual life. This is as important as the metabolism process. But the methods are very different; some people can focus his or her energy in doing something else in a hobby or a certain interest. The majority will try to release their energy for entertainment or some useless time killing activities.

Painting is one way of liberating human beings but can still remain energy. Artist Le Huu Hieu has the starting point as an architect. He chose one way to release his energy but he can still get his mentality focused in the joy of creating artworks.

His first solo exhibition contains 18 oil-on-canvas paintings in medium size; there are also different experimentations with acrylic, using gold and silver on canvas. It shows us the beauty in the patience for the passion of arts. With the language of surrealist art mixing with expressionist, the artist doesn’t just paint his own mental state but also expresses the consciousness of a certain class. This class is considered to be “The Youth of their times”. There is fear and amazement in front of the pressure of time and work. All the fallen angels with wild dreams combine with the temporality and wicked humor in the social stories where they are in.

A very interesting is that the exhibition was passionately supported by a reputed website on the events, art and culture in Hanoi which is Hanoi Grapevine. With the individual support of a local business (Mr Nguyen Duc Tuyen, chairman of Cau Giay joint-stock company), this has marked a good sign for the units, individuals, and organizations sponsoring the debut of young artists in Vietnam. Especially in the context where cultural foundations, individual patrons in recent years have decreased in the not so optimistic economic situations and the less exciting cultural and art life…

On the occasion of “Letting go” exhibition by a brand new young artist with the art world, we are cordially presents the attendance of many reputable professional artists as well representatives from governmental fine art organizations such as: artist Thanh Chuong (Vietnam Fine Arts Association), artist Luong Xuan Doan, artist Le Thiet Cuong, artist Vi Kien Thanh (Bureau Chief of the Fine Arts Department). We would like to also call for the attention of organizations, individual units to be more actively engaged in the art contribution and sponsor for young artists. To commensurate with the policy implementation “Culture and Art as the motivation and purpose” for the prosperous development of the country!

About the artist:

Le Hieu

Le Huu Hieu

Born in September 2nd 1982

Hometown: Xuan Yen – Nghi Xuan – Ha Tinh

Education: Civil Engineering University majored in Architecture (2006)

Present: independent architect   

Talk of Gary Thomas : Experimental Filmmaking and Animation in the UK

Wed 02 Jul 2014, 4 pm

Big Hall, Goethe Institut

Goethe-Institut Hanoi

56-58 Nguyễn Thái Học

Ba Đình, Hà Nội

You’re invited to a talk with British Council film advisor Gary Thomas on experimental filmmaking and animation in the UK. Among the talk’s topics, Gary will introduce Animate Projects, a commissioning agency producing content for online/digital, cinema, broadcast and galleries, that he founded and developed; use Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s ‘A Letter to Uncle Boonmee’ and other examples of how artists work in collaboration, and internationally; and talk about the history/context of experimental filmmaking in the UK.

Gary Thomas was previously the Head of Moving Image for Arts Council England, leading on policy and strategy development for arts distribution, broadcasting and visual arts. He subsequently founded Animate Projects to run the Channel 4/ACE Animate TV scheme, which he developed to become a commissioning agency producing content for online/digital, cinema, broadcast and galleries. His productions/commissions include Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s short A Letter to Uncle Boonmee which won the Oberhausen Grand Prix and formed part of the development of the Cannes Palme d’Or winning feature project Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives.

Free entrance.

Screening of “Astérix et Obélix: Au Service de sa Majesté”

L’Espace

24 Tràng Tiền, Hà Nội

You are invited to the film screening “Asterix and Obelix: God Save Britannia” (France, Spain, Italy, Hungary, 2012, 110 mins) directed by Laurent Tirard. This is “The funniest film in the history of Gaul!”

For more information about synopsis, please see L’Espace website (in French) or refer to the Vietnamese version of this post. Language: French with Vietnamese subtitle.

Tickets:

Ticket price: 40 000 VND

Special price for members of L’Espace and students: 20 000 VND

Tickets are available at L’Espace.