Vietnamese History in Full Colour, Sophie's Art Tour

This tour is delivered by Sophie who has worked in the HCMC arts scene since 2009 as Manager of Galerie Quynh and Southeast Asia Director for independent film festival Future Shorts. Sophie’s Art tour takes a closer look at the major shifts in Vietnam’s modern history through the eyes and personal experience of artists and is not just for art lovers but also for those who want to gain a deeper understanding of Vietnam.

The tour begins at a café where guests are given an introduction to modern Vietnamese history. The first stop on the tour is a private collection including works by students of the French founded School of Fine Arts which show the European styles fused with traditional Vietnamese materials and techniques. 

Guests are then driven in an air‐conditioned vehicle to the next gallery, a space connected to the largest private collection of propaganda art in Vietnam. Here they will learn about how propaganda was produced and distributed during and after the war and how it was influences by China and Russia.

The tour continues to HCMC Fine Arts Museum, an impressive example of Sino ‐French architecture, where guests will look at the work of wartime artists. These sketches demonstrate how artists have been essential tools of government, in resistance, revolution and reconstruction of a nation. 

The last stop is one of the cities leading contemporary art galleries which houses changing exhibitions of works by Vietnamese and international artists. Guests will learn how these spaces are nurturing experimentation and creating opportunities for emerging artists. 

The tour runs from Tuesday to Saturday: 9:00am – 1:00pm. Bookings on Sunday and afternoons can be arranged.