(Cinet)- Ho Chi Minh City has rapidly become one of the most active emerging art hubs in Southeast Asia. Although the number of contemporary art spaces is still modest, they are getting more and more attention from a greater audience. Home to several international and local recognized artists, the city has so much to offer to contemporary art lovers.
Museums, private collection and galleries
Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum - The museum’s exhibition rooms have a range of art that can give visitors a good look at the development of art through the ages in Vietnam. A new wing is frequently rented out for privately organized exhibitions, mostly of contemporary artists.
Address: 97A Pho Duc Chinh, District 1.
Galerie Quynh - The most professionally recognized, international standard gallery in the city, Galerie Quynh was founded in 2004 by Vietnamese-American Quynh Pham. The gallery represents Vietnamese emerging and established artists, as well as foreign artists. In addition to its regular exhibition programs in its two spaces in District 1, the gallery also holds talks and lectures.
Address: main gallery, 65 De Tham, District 1; downtown gallery, Level 2, 151/3 Dong Khoi, District 1.
Craig Thomas Gallery - Founded in Ho Chi Minh City in 2009, Craig Thomas Gallery represents numerous award winning contemporary Vietnamese artists working in painting, sculpture and mixed media. The gallery space hosts a regular series of professionally curated exhibitions of emerging and mid-career Vietnamese artists.
Address: 27i Tran Nhat Duat Street, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1.
Tu Do Gallery - One of the oldest standing galleries in the city, Tu Do also boasts a collection of important modern and contemporary artists. More on the ‘classical’ side of the scene, Tu Do also holds regular exhibitions throughout the year.
Address: 53 Ho Tung Mau, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1.
Duc Minh Gallery - The gallery is a private collection of 1,000 pieces of modern and contemporary art. It houses masterful works by some of the top artists in Vietnamese art history.
Address: 31c Le Quy Don, District 3.
Dogma Gallery - The small gallery space is run by British-Italian Richard Di San Marzano, an expert and collector of Vietnamese propaganda art as well as Archivist and Curator of the Dogma Collection. The gallery shows and sells propaganda artworks, offering both originals and prints.
Address: 8A/9C1 Thai Van Lung, District 1.
Post Vidai - The largest collection of contemporary Vietnamese art, with homes in Switzerland and Vietnam, also has an exhibition space. Visitors should contact the collection’s manager for any exhibitions going on since they are not publicly advertised.
Non-profit and experimental art spaces
San Art – The most active nonprofit, artist-run initiative in Vietnam, San Art was founded by some of the most well-known Vietnamese artists: Dinh Q. Lê, Tiffany Chung and members of The Propeller Group. Regular exhibitions and educational programs, a library room and the San Art Laboratory artist-in-residence are a must see.
Address: 3 Me Linh, Binh Thanh District.
Zero Station – is one of the smallest physical spaces listed, due to the fact that exhibition-making is only an element in a world of initiatives achieved by Zero Station. Founded by artist-curator Nguyen Nhu Huy, Zero Station is a process-based space, which offered two residency programs – the ‘packed’ and the ‘intensive’ art residencies – the former for visitors to Ho Chi Minh City, who would work in the space and give a presentation in return, the latter for those who would wish to study the local area and work with a local artist, with an aim to realizing a research or artistic project.
Sao La – A nonprofit art initiative supported and founded by Galerie Quynh, Sao La is based on the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Art Museum’s grounds. A new addition to the art scene, officially opening at the end of May 2014, the space will also have a library room with art books and will support emerging local talent, running a regular program of workshops, lectures and talks, screenings and exhibitions.
Address: on the grounds of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum.
PD
Museums, private collection and galleries
Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum - The museum’s exhibition rooms have a range of art that can give visitors a good look at the development of art through the ages in Vietnam. A new wing is frequently rented out for privately organized exhibitions, mostly of contemporary artists.
Address: 97A Pho Duc Chinh, District 1.
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| A corner in the permanent collection of HCM City Fine Arts Museum |
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| A temporary exhibition |
Galerie Quynh - The most professionally recognized, international standard gallery in the city, Galerie Quynh was founded in 2004 by Vietnamese-American Quynh Pham. The gallery represents Vietnamese emerging and established artists, as well as foreign artists. In addition to its regular exhibition programs in its two spaces in District 1, the gallery also holds talks and lectures.
Address: main gallery, 65 De Tham, District 1; downtown gallery, Level 2, 151/3 Dong Khoi, District 1.
Craig Thomas Gallery - Founded in Ho Chi Minh City in 2009, Craig Thomas Gallery represents numerous award winning contemporary Vietnamese artists working in painting, sculpture and mixed media. The gallery space hosts a regular series of professionally curated exhibitions of emerging and mid-career Vietnamese artists.
Address: 27i Tran Nhat Duat Street, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1.
Tu Do Gallery - One of the oldest standing galleries in the city, Tu Do also boasts a collection of important modern and contemporary artists. More on the ‘classical’ side of the scene, Tu Do also holds regular exhibitions throughout the year.
Address: 53 Ho Tung Mau, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1.
Duc Minh Gallery - The gallery is a private collection of 1,000 pieces of modern and contemporary art. It houses masterful works by some of the top artists in Vietnamese art history.
Address: 31c Le Quy Don, District 3.
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| Duc Minh Gallery is one of the largest private collection of Vietnam arts |
Address: 8A/9C1 Thai Van Lung, District 1.
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| "A warrior of Long haired Army" from Dogma's collection |
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| Another work from Dogma's collection |
Post Vidai - The largest collection of contemporary Vietnamese art, with homes in Switzerland and Vietnam, also has an exhibition space. Visitors should contact the collection’s manager for any exhibitions going on since they are not publicly advertised.
Non-profit and experimental art spaces
San Art – The most active nonprofit, artist-run initiative in Vietnam, San Art was founded by some of the most well-known Vietnamese artists: Dinh Q. Lê, Tiffany Chung and members of The Propeller Group. Regular exhibitions and educational programs, a library room and the San Art Laboratory artist-in-residence are a must see.
Address: 3 Me Linh, Binh Thanh District.
 |
| An educational art workshop |
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| An exhibition at San Art |
Zero Station – is one of the smallest physical spaces listed, due to the fact that exhibition-making is only an element in a world of initiatives achieved by Zero Station. Founded by artist-curator Nguyen Nhu Huy, Zero Station is a process-based space, which offered two residency programs – the ‘packed’ and the ‘intensive’ art residencies – the former for visitors to Ho Chi Minh City, who would work in the space and give a presentation in return, the latter for those who would wish to study the local area and work with a local artist, with an aim to realizing a research or artistic project.
 |
Address: on the grounds of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum.
PD
- Ho Chi Minh City has rapidly become one of the most active emerging art hubs in Southeast Asia. Although the number of contemporary art spaces is still modest, they are getting more and more attention from a greater audience.)
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