Vietnamese fine art in modern times presents a scene that is replete with many fine artists and countless admirers and enthusiasts. Vietnamese fine art has been shying away from the eyes of the world for many years. It is only recently that it has been emancipated from its erstwhile provincial existence. Vietnamese fine art is finally coming out of the closet to present itself in its full glory before a wider audience.
The growth of interest and the rise in popular enthusiasm about Vietnamese fine art have been truly phenomenal in the past few years. The last decade, especially, has witnessed a dramatic growth in the number of people world-wide taking an enormous deal of interest in Vietnamese fine art. It is safe to assume now that Vietnamese fine art has finally come of age and is ready to go truly international.
The contemporary art scene of Vietnam is buzzing with activity, and is vibrant like never before. This is to be attributed not only to strong commercial considerations, but also to the commitment of artists and dealers to create and promote quality work. One cannot help but wonder in awe when one looks upon the radical metamorphosis of Vietnamese art over the last few years. Less than a decade ago, contemporary Vietnamese fine art and artists had negligible presence in their own country and virtually none on the international art scene. Yet, in 1993, eminent art critic and accomplished painter Ca Le Thang wrote in the popular art journal My Thuat, “In 1992 a total of 130 groups and one man exhibitions were opened in Ho Chi Minh City, featuring works by local (Vietnamese) artists… and even (artists) from overseas. Over 5,500 works created by more than 200 artists were exhibited in 25 different locations; attendance numbers rose to over 400,000.”
Vietnamese fine art, since then, has only grown from strength to strength with every passing year. A closer look at this phenomenon reveals that it is not just the profile and status of the nation’s art and artists that have grown in strength. The change is also evident in the quality of the art and in the scope of its representation through local, regional and international galleries and museums.
Compared to other Asian countries, and according to several art commentators, Vietnam was the earliest to merge into the mainstream of modern art, as defined by the West, in both form and content. Such a fact can be easily seen with the coming into existence of Ecole Des Beaux Arts (Indochina’s School of Fine Art) in the early 1930s, with the presence of professors from France.
Western style in technique and the use of color was what the first student generation trained in this school obtained. The techniques however were employed by the graduate artists to depict the aesthetic essence of Viet-narn, especially the freedom and generosity of an Asian soul. Such a fundamental beginning had laid the foundation for the younger generations to follow and again led to their success.
Local galleries and museums have a major role to play in the growing popularity of Vietnamese fine art. They are the main driving factor behind the increasing popular enthusiasm and the commercial success of fine art in Vietnam. Such galleries are virtually countless in cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hue. Some are nothing more than mere shops selling paintings.
In the major cities, about 50 of these galleries can be deemed professional. They deal in a wide variety of local art, ranging from highly popular landscape and figurative work to abstract and experimental work in lacquer and other mediums. The range of variety to be noticed in Vietnamese fine art by gazing upon these paintings is truly amazing.
By: Wain Roy
Archive for November, 2009
Vietnamese Fine Art – the Taste of Modern Asian Art at Its Best!
November 28th, 2009Photographers at the Saatchi Gallery
November 27th, 2009Photography is used to preserve memories of favorite times, to capture special moments, to tell stories, to send messages, and as a source of entertainment. It has been called both an art and a science. It is an art form not unlike painting. A career in photography is often chosen because of its lifestyle and creative outlet. Photography is probably the most influential medium of the modern era. One of the most emotional components of photography is the study of art photography. People naturally love or despise a photograph much as they love or despise a particular painting or sculpture. Art photography has the ability to move viewers past just looking at an object or image to seeing an emotion, a passion or a concept that stirs the thoughts as well as the feelings within an individual.
The tools of photography change all the time and these changes effect what we can do in the making a photograph. New photographic visions can arise from these technological changes. But for me, photography isn’t about tools: it’s about connecting with other people through your unique vision of the world. I personally feel that photography is another form of art like painting and I judge it based on whether the artists’ expression talks to me.
All art photography is a combination of luck and technical discipline. Being able to wait for just the right light, expression or movement to capture what the photographer is trying to explore is both an art and a science. Those art photographers that have become famous for their talent and training have spent years developing techniques and styles that make their pictures truly unique. Learning art photography is a wonderful way to capture images to save for future generations.
View famous and most popular Photographers around the world at the Saatchi gallery, those art photographers that have become famous for their talent and training have spent years developing techniques.
By: Saatchi Gallery
55 Mercer Street Gallery, a Contemporary Art Gallery
November 27th, 2009The 55 Mercer Street Gallery began in Soho and is now called the M55 Art. The year was 1969 when the 55 Mercer Street Gallery was established. The 55 Mercer Street Gallery is a non-profit gallery and was started by like minded artists. The 55 Mercer Street Gallery brings in modern art to the general public to see, view and appreciate. The 55 Mercer Street Gallery gives its members the opportunity to display their work in an independent site. The 55 Mercer Street Gallery also does community outreach efforts by supporting curators and guest artists. The 55 Mercer Street Gallery is constantly re-evaluating submissions made by curators and artists a like.
At present the 55 Mercer Street Gallery is situated at the ground floor of the Long Island City Art Center. The 55 Mercer Street Gallery moved to this new location from its previous location in the year 2008. Member artists include as of present writing, Alexis Kuhr, Annette Morriss, Christine Baeumler, Douglas Witmer,Ed Rath, Jeff Way, Judy Russell, M.P. Landis, Michael Sanzone, Peter Charlap,Rand Hardy, Randee Silv, Richard Pitts, Robert Schecter, Stephen March,Tom Evans, Tyrome Tripoli and Yosuke Ito.
The 55 Mercer Street Gallery host various art display events, a good idea would be check with the 55 Mercer Street Gallery to get to know what events are being held at the gallery before one goes there. If one happened to go across the area of Long Island, or anywhere around the 55 Mercer Street Gallery and are in need of a New York hotel, a good place to stay would be the Millennium Broadway Hotel New York.
By: Naveen Marasinghe
The Wrath of Dragons in Vietnamese Art
November 27th, 2009
The influence of symbolism in Vietnamese art has been in vogue since prehistoric times. One of the most supernatural of all creatures, dragons and fairies, symbolized various instances of Vietnamese art. From the Dong Son civilization to the modern Nyugen Dynasty, the dragon motif has been used in various forms and shapes in sculptures, paintings, palaces, and different religious or architectural structures. The evolution of the dragon symbol portrayed the changing beliefs and culture of the people from time to time.
The Dong Son civilization (400BC to 200AD) saw the reptile version of the dragon, also known as the “Giao Long” dragon. This symbol was found etched on a number of bronze urns and weapon hatches. The following period (Dai La) witnessed Vietnam under Chinese colonization from the first to the tenth century. This period had a profound impact on Vietnamese art. This is clearly evident from the decorative tiles found at Co Loa, where the Dai La dragon shows remarkable resemblance with its Chinese counterpart.
Vietnam breathed the air of independence with the dawn of the Ly Dynasty. This period can also be termed the ‘golden period’ for Vietnamese art as it reached the peak of excellence. Water dragons symbolizing the God of Rain found way into Vietnamese art during this period. Some of the distinguishing features of this dragon in contrast to the Chinese creature were: thin and long body; undulated body contours of a serpent; small head with long whisker and mane and fine legs with small claws. The Chuong Son tower now showcases an extraordinary example of the Ly dragon carved on stone.
The heritage of the Ly Dynasty was transferred to the later Tran Dynasty (13-14th century). The fire-gurgling creature during this period still appeared with a small head and body; an instance of which can be found in the Pho Minh temple.
The influence of Chinese culture and heritage rose profoundly in the later Ly Dynasty, with Chinese emperors adopting Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. As a consequence, the dragon symbol came to be associated with the emperor and his authoritative powers. The dragon motif then began to be extensively used in tombs, and religious temples. Dragons of the later Ly Dynasty also owes greatly to the Chinese influence. Large head, gigantic body, thick scales, long sharp claws, thick mane, and a beastly glance summarize the appearance of the Ly dragon.
The modern Nyugen Dynasty hails from the “Tu Linh”- the four mythical Chinese creatures namely the phoenix, the dragon, the lion, and the tortoise. These creatures were collectively portrayed in numerous paintings, sculptures, royal palaces, and tombs in Hue.
These fiery dragon motifs have attracted the attention of connoisseurs all over the world. Art gallery in Vietnam showcases these mythical creatures in their changing moods. Imbibing the Chinese motif, Vietnamese art have become even more alluring.
By: Suzanne
Most Famous Art Museums Around the World
November 25th, 2009Art museum is the collections of much variety of exhibitions and paintings. There are old art, new art, pretty art, art that makes us think or is even shocking. Anything that people experience turns up in art: love, war, eating, sports, nature, and faith, anything at all. Most museums are either free or have free days when you can go and enjoy the art. Commercial galleries are also free. Many places offer free lectures, either by an artist whose work is on display, or by individuals who are very knowledgeable in a particular collection on display.
At Saatchi Gallery you can see the List of Main Art Museums around the World as follows.
Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney Museum of American Art is the leading advocate of 20th- and 21st-century American art. Founded in 1930, the Museum is regarded as the preeminent collection of American art and includes major works and materials from the estate of Edward Hopper, the largest public collection of works by Alexander Calder, Louise Nevelson, and Lucas Samaras, as well as significant works by Jasper Johns, Donald Judd, Agnes Martin, Bruce Nauman, Georgia O’Keeffe, Claes Oldenburg, Kiki Smith, and Andy Warhol, among other artists.
The State Hermitage Museum
The State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg is Russia’s premier art museum. It began life as the private art collection of the imperial family and was nationalised and greatly expanded after the Revolution. The Museum is housed in the buildings of the former imperial palace in the centre of St Petersburg.
Art Institute of Chicago
A world of art is on display––European and American paintings, sculpture, prints and drawings, photographs, textiles, decorative arts, and architectural fragments and drawings, plus the arts of Asia, Africa and the ancient Americas.
British Museum
The British Museum holds in trust for the nation and the world a collection of art and antiquities from ancient and living cultures. Housed in one of Britain’s architectural landmarks, the collection is one of the finest in existence, spanning two million years of human history. Access to the collections is free.
Boston Museum of Fine Arts
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston was founded in February 4, 1870 and on July 3, 1876 opened its doors of its building in Copley Square, a John H. Sturgis and Charles Brigham-designed gothic structure of red brick and terra-cotta.
By: Saatchi Gallery
Bathroom or Art Gallery?
November 22nd, 2009I was reading an interesting article with bright shiny pictures recently that I found really impressive. The art in the pictures was big and bold with interesting textures and an off the wall modern feel. Some of the sculptural pieces had an interactive feel to them with jets of water that sprayed up or trickled down like rain or waterfalls. All in all, it was a lovely installation of art … except it wasn’t, it was a bathroom.
Some of the products that have emerged in the last few years in the area of bathroom design are utterly gorgeous. The big, solid, freestanding carved marble washstands look like pieces of abstract sculpture with water elements. The minimalist showers with glass tile mosaics and rain shower look more like elegant water fountains than places to wash in the morning. They’re big and bold and innovative.
For those that have the money to spend on such unique works of functional art, there is a lot of interesting pieces out there to choose from. Pretty much any item that you’d find in a bathroom you can find in a sculptural version. There are carved stone varieties, sculptural porcelain, ceramic, glass, bronze. Due to the fine quality of many of these items as well as the vast quantity of some of them, many of these items are quite pricey however.
For those of us who’re used to a far simpler form of washroom though, I can see that some culture shock could be inevitable if one found themselves in such a facility.
The downside that I can see to some of these fixtures and designs is what I like to call “The Seashell Experience”. Consider the movie Demolition Man; for anyone who doesn’t remember that particularly stunning piece of film history, the main character is woken up after spending 40 years in suspended animation and quickly discovers that the future that he has awakened into has evolved new bathroom fixtures that he doesn’t understand how to use. The only clue being a set of three seashell-shaped fixtures where the toilet paper should be. At least he comes out and admits that he doesn’t understand the process; how many of the rest of us would just spend the afternoon fiddling with the controls, too embarrassed to come out?
After reading through some of the sculptural design articles, I worry a little about finding myself in one of these gorgeously decorated bathrooms and not knowing how to turn on the water or flush the toilet but I suppose that as long as no one mistakes a stylish and dramatic piece of art for the commode it’s all good.
By: Lauren Spencer
Discovering the Art of London
November 20th, 2009London has long laid at the beating heart of Britain’s arts and culture scene and it’s here that you can discover the world’s best loved artists in some of the most iconic galleries. National treasures and modern accomplishments lie side-by-side in a vibrant and diverse array of gallery spaces dotted across the city.
London boasts a huge selection of art galleries, but many of the most popular are central and easy to get to, such as the striking Tate Modern. The Thames Bankside gallery is a shrine to modern art of the 20th century, hosting impressive contemporary exhibitions from Edward Hopper and Mark Rothko to Duchamp and Man Ray. Most permanent exhibits are free of charge so you can take in the remarkable interior architecture of the Bankside Power Station, which houses the Tate, and marvel at the iconic work of some of your favourite contemporary artists at your leisure.
London’s Victoria and Albert museum, or simply the V&A, can be found in South Kensington. Exhibitions at the V&A are also mostly free, and offer a wealth of opportunity to experience the regal splendour of royal artefacts, ceramics and medieval treasures. Besides objets d’art, visitors to the V&A can also wander around interactive costume exhibits, which are great fun for kids, as well as significant art collections from around the world.
More National treasures can be unearthed at Trafalgar Square’s National Gallery. This busy and popular Gallery boasts entire wings of period art and hosts treasures by famous names from Van Eyck to Vermeer, Caravaggio to Constable and Rembrandt to Renoir. You could wile away hours absorbing the sights of any number of seminal artistic movements, and with free entry you can do so any day of the week!
Taking art in London bang up-to-date is the eponymous Saatchi Gallery, which brims with exhibits by artists both up-and-coming and established media darlings. Proprietor Charles Saatchi recently moved the gallery to Chelsea and it’s now housed within the impressive Duke of York’s HQ. With particular prominence given to the Emin’s, Hirst’s and Chapmans of contemporary art, the Saatchi Gallery always offers vital insight into the goings on in the modern art world.
Art galleries in London vary between grand establishments and unique private galleries, many of which can be found in the city’s Piccadilly and Albemarle Streets. White Cube, The Portland Gallery and Marlborough Fine Art are all fine examples of private galleries and are well worth a look for a more intimate art experience.
Getting around London to experience it all is simple with its well-integrated transport system that combines underground and over ground network solutions, including tubes, buses and black cabs. London is abuzz with art galleries and you could find yourself lost for time to see everything, however, with so many London hotels centrally located, you could find a short break ideal for experiencing the art of London in your own time.
By: Paul McIndoe
Art Museum at Saatchi Gallery
November 19th, 2009The Saatchi Gallery is a contemporary museum and oasis specifically created for modern visual and performing arts aficionados as well as students who desire a place to satisfy their appetite for creativity, visual culture, and expression. It is a gallery/museum that shows the work of these young artists and was designed to foster the development of these persons who are unfamiliar with the processes involved in making it in the art business. It provides a wealth of support to the many students of art or the humanities who seek to broaden and deepen their awareness of the aesthetic culture that is represented in the artistic creations of contemporary painters and sculptors. The resource is also available to students and recent graduates of the performing arts and fashion designing discipline. More than just displaying, it facilitates the work of the artist through the frequent competitions and other opportunities for compensation advertised on the site. The resources provided by this vast and rich web community includes the Stuart Museum, in which students and recent graduates have the opportunity to upload their work and make it available for viewing to a worldwide internet audience.
The Saatchi Gallery features the work of the artists, but it will also offer a much more personal service to the students. It allows them personal and professional growth by offering opportunities for the student artist to communicate live and directly with members of the viewing public. Therefore, the student gains experience in presenting him/herself to the public, marketing and even selling his/her work online free of commission. Such experience is inestimable, as it includes exposure to sales, marketing, and promotion and improves their communication and people skills.
As a student, placing work on this site will usher you toward attaining the business and communication skills necessary to become successful in the fine arts industry.
By: Saatchi Gallery
Clayton Brothers Paintings and Exhibitions at the Saatchi Gallery
November 19th, 2009Clayton Brothers are Back In The Swing of Things with a brand new album and a brand new record label. Brothers John and Jeff, the former on bass and the latter on saxophone, are two of the most prolific musicians in mainstream jazz. Also part of the celebrated, Clayton-Hamilton Big Band Orchestra, the siblings have earned their esteemed reputation with a number of top selling recordings and sold out concert dates around the world, not to mention guest appearances and arrangements on records by everyone from Diana Krall to Count Basie. On their latest, the band joined by Bill Cunliffe on piano, Terrell Stafford on trumpet and Jeff Hamilton on drums, are as powerful as ever. The swing comes hard and steady, but there are also a number of gorgeous interludes that add a unique balance and flavor to the proceedings. Jazz fans will no doubt savor the return of one of the music’s finest modern quintets.Christian Clayton are brothers, collaborators, and the best of friends. Collectively they work as the Clayton Brothers, producing dynamic, improvisational, yet purposeful and humane paintings, installations and mixed-media works on paper. The Clayton Brothers’ approach to art-making is a collaborative process: one brother begins a painting, then hands it off to the other, then back again, and so on. Their art is narrative, autobiographical, uncanny and intuitive, culled from the secret language of a shared childhood. Rather than nostalgic musings about youth, the Clayton Brothers’ recollections of the past are revealed through a twisted lens of adulthood. At once epic and intimate, the Clayton Brothers’ layered paintings become stories where the matrix of two psyches – independent, but related – weave together elements of memory and the subconscious using the seemingly innocuous – the TV dinner, the toothbrush, the dastardly squirrel- as metaphors and messengers.
Clayton Brothers’ narrative style is a kind of non-linear abstraction verging on reality. There is nothing premeditated or provincial about this work. The sheer bulk of characters with their untamed manners, liberty of movement, power in space, but also their elegance is conveyed with a masterly precision and economy of line that befits two artists with more than 20 combined years of art-making. The tonal qualities and the ingenious use of surfaces in the canvas and on paper, suggest a kind of cinematic perspective. The freshness of the pigments and the impact of the colors is a force on innocent eyes who are unaccustomed to visual forms outside nature itself.Clayton Brothers’ Wishy Washy, the walk-in, heavily graffitied title piece in their recent exhibition. Los Angeles-based Rob and Christian Clayton have shown their collaborative work regularly in West Coast and Houston galleries, as well as at Art Basel Miami Beach, but this was their first New York solo outing. Painted inside and out with dense abstract patterns and collaged words, Wishy Washy came complete with three life-size fake Maytags, a shelf lined with bottles of detergent, a change machine and a table surrounded by a couple of grimy chairs.
By: Saatchi-gallery
National and International Art Fairs at Saatchi Gallery
November 17th, 2009National and international art fairs, art expositions and 2008 art events are listed on Saatchi Gallery. Listing includes United Kingdom, United States and International Art Fairs.
At this section of Saatchi Gallery all Art Fair Organisers are free to have as many pages as they need to give details of their Art Fair. All Galleries Exhibition Can be Included with their own Page to show their artist’s work, profile and contact information etc. You are free to use Gallery Details from your last fair until your next fair is available for loading. Art Fairs are trade style sales events, held (usually) under one roof. Art Fairs are a great place to both buy and sell work with stalls and partitioned gallery areas often being reasonably priced enough to allow profit to be made.
At Saatchi Gallery you can see the List of Main Art Fairs around the World few of those are given as below.
Fine Art Fair Frankfurt – Germany
Fine art fair Frankfurt positions itself as a veritable jewel in the landscape of art fairs. While other events often choose (or are forced) to focus on quantity, fine art fair Frankfurt deliberately concentrates on quality and the ideal presentation of exhibited works.
Frieze Art Fair – London, United Kingdom
Frieze Art Fair focuses on the most interesting galleries working today, from the UK to China and Brazil to USA. The fair introduces and showcases new and established artists to visitors from around the world. In addition to being able to see and buy art by over 1000 of the world’s leading artists, visitors can participate in Frieze Projects – the fair’s unique and critically acclaimed curatorial programe.
Art Cologne – Köln Germany
ART Cologne inspires more spirited debate than any other leading international fair for modern and contemporary art. The broad spectrum of art – presents from important modern works to the latest art by today’s artists — provokes conflicting opinions and in-depth discussions in the art world.
The Armory Show – New York City, United States
The Armory Show, The International Fair of New Art, is the world’s leading art fair devoted exclusively to contemporary art. In its tenth annual exhibition, The Armory Show 2008 will celebrate the spirit of contemporary art. The exhibition includes many of the most important contemporary dealers showcasing new art from around the world.
Art Basel Miami Beach – Miami, United States
The international art show in Miami Beach (Florida) is the American sister event of Art Basel in Switzerland, the most important annual art show worldwide for the past 37 years. Art Basel Miami Beach is a new type of cultural event, combining an international art show with an exciting program of special exhibitions, parties and crossover events including music, film, architecture and design.
By: Saatchi Gallery
