Jennifer Conlin of the New York Times covers the Hanoi Art Scene this weekend in "The Awakening of Hanoi." The article highlights some of the better known venues both contemporary and commercial, though at the expense of depth. Conlin does give a paragraph to some of the issues facing Vietnamese artists, but as with most mainstream media coverage, focuses rather the rising value of work in the commercial sector. The BBC has consistently been more daring in their coverage of contemporary Vietnamese culture scene (for example, this and that). But for art lovers planning on visiting Hanoi, this reading is a good and solid starting point. -RST

Artist Dao Anh Khanh prepares for a performance

Those interested in contemporary Vietnamese art should also be reminded that there exists a developing art community in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). In many ways, there are parallels between both developing cities though indeed the infrastructure in Hanoi is stronger (more spaces and better support).I'd be interested in your comments after reading the article.

The full article can be accessed below, for a limited time, before it becomes an archived pay-to-access archived article. If the International Herald Tribune picks it up, it shoud remain free. You might have to register (free) with the NYT to view. *Images by James Hill for the NYT.

New York Times. The Awakening of Hanoi