Hanoi's Artistic Life Explored Through Studio Visits with Four Local Artists

Joe Fyfe documents studio visits with four Hanoi-based artists, revealing the city's unique artistic environment. Vu Dan Tan, born in Hanoi in 1946, works from Salon Natasha gallery, creating origami sculptures from found materials and geometric abstract paintings. Maritta Nurmi, a Finnish artist who arrived thirteen years ago, studied lacquer painting at Hanoi Fine Arts University and prepares large vertical paintings with silver and copper leaf for a spring exhibition. Phuong Nguyen Linh, who won a residency in Rome through an Italian government competition, creates abstract drawings and sculptures from tape, shown in Saigon Open City. Pham Ngoc Duong, who has participated in international residencies, discusses Hanoi's cultural ties to France while showing monochrome blue paintings. The article draws parallels between Hanoi and Paris, noting similar weather, food, and a bohemian tradition, while observing Vietnam's potential artistic shifts with WTO membership. Fyfe reflects on artistic commitment under governmental constraints, comparing the period to late 1970s Czechoslovakia as described by Slavoj Zizek. The visits occur in December around Hanoi's Hoan Kiem Lake and districts including Hai Ba Trung and Ba Dinh.