Art...it's personal #vietnam

The alley in the morning 2 by Bui Le Trang
Vietnam Art Gallery, Ho Chi Minh City

"Art enables us to find ourselves

and lose ourselves at the same time."

~Thomas Merton

The thing about art...and one of the things I love most about it...is that it's personal. It's what speaks to you at first glance and lingers..in emotion and thought. On a canvas, in a sculpture, whatever the medium which has been translated to art, how it makes you feel... that feeling is yours and yours alone. It's the beauty of art..it's personal.

If you live in Vietnam or plan to travel and want to purchase a lasting memory, all I can say is that you will have plenty to choose from, no matter the budget. I could list hundreds of galleries up and down Vietnam, but I won't, because, to be honest, you will not have to travel far to find one.

Once you step through the door of one gallery and then another and another...you might just be a bit confused. There is so much to choose from...and then you might start to notice something...the painting that you were told was 'the one and only by a particular artist' is the same painting that is in front of you in another gallery. How does that work?

The world of reproductions is thriving in Vietnam which is only a problem if you want an original work of art. It can be a challenge, even with all the official documentation, you might still have that niggling doubt. You just have to weigh it all up...the price, the art and the emotion.

When I travel, I think ahead to when I return home. Is it possible that I will return to my home country and wished that I had purchased the piece in mind? Will I feel that returning home each day and casting my eye on that particular artwork could make all the difference in my day? By the time I have asked myself these two questions...there is a usually a resounding YES in response.

The good news, is that Vietnamese art does not have to blow your travel budget. We have original art (we hope) and reproductions and we love them equally. It's personal, it's art.

I have listed a few galleries in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi that we enjoy. Some we have purchased art from and others we are waiting for the right one. It is worth looking at the photo gallery on each site to get a feel for what is out there. Like I said, there is so much more out there and it's personal. If these galleries do not do it for you, there is plenty more to choose from.

If you travel to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi and enjoy fine art museums, I highly recommend the two below. Both will open your eyes to the history and beauty of Vietnam.

If you have time for an art tour, then Sophie of Sophie's Art Tour is the woman for you. A 'must do' if you love to combine travel and art. Her contact details are noted below.

If you have a gallery that you would like to recommend, I am all eyes. You can write to me at jeannecollageoflife@gmail.com

Happy Viewing!

Jeanne

Vietnamese Art

A few favorites..

HO CHI MINH CITY

Ben Thanh Art and & Frame

Galerie Nguyen

7 Nguyen Thiep St, D1

Ho Chi Minh City

www.benthanhart.com

Blue Space Art Gallery