I have had the pleasure to follow the evolution of the art scene and the artistic developments of many of the younger painters in Vietnam during the last half decade.  Most of my observations relate to Hanoi and the large number and the variety of visual art found in the capital city.  My focus has been on paintings, though one should not forget other art forms, such as installations, sculptures and performances as well.  It is quite fair to say that contemporary Vietnamese paintings have “taken off” lately in terms of variety, popularity and sales. 

Vietnam’s art scene is surely one of the most active and productive in South East Asia, or perhaps all of Asia.  With the initiation of Doi Moi and Vietnam’s increased interaction with other countries, artists gained new confidence and were willing to explore new ways of expressions.  The country certainly has a long and solid indigenous foundation for paintings, and further influences from countries such as China, France and Russia have contributed to refining the art form.  Many contemporary painters excel in the use of oil on canvas, often with traditional subject matters like village scenes and female bodies.  Several of the artists have a particular love for the city of Hanoi, and the images of the deceased artist Bui Xuan Phai are the inspiration for many younger painters. 

Some of the artists have moved from dealing with rather simple, beautiful subjects to embrace the world of emotions, such as Hong Viet Dung.  Talented painters have been successful in expressing the emotions of depicted subjects through the use of colours and composition, and these paintings appeal much to foreign collectors.  The emotions may relate to love and happiness, though most artists seem to prefer to focus on despair, loneliness, sadness and other problematic aspects of life.  Several artists seem to be drawn to what may be labeled a romantic style, such as Dao Hai Phong, Le Thanh Son and Pham Luan.  The works are often painted with attractive colours and forms and are particularly attractive for overseas buyers who often live in grey, urban, depressing environments.  The brightening or enlightenment of people’s spirits in this way may be one reason for their success.  Hong Viet Dung and Nguyen Thanh Binh's paintings may also belong to the romantic style although their use of colours are more subtle.  The exploration in contemporary Vietnamese art of abstractions, lead by Nguyen Trung, shows that the artists are not afraid of taking up new challenges.  One subject area though, is largely missing in contemporary Vietnamese art.  This is social-political criticism, an area where many western artists choose to work. 

A special mention should be made of lacquer paintings, such as by Dinh Quan, Trinh Tuan and Cong Kim Hoa.  They are uniquely Vietnamese and truly innovative.  The synthesis of traditional lacquer techniques and modern paintings has been very successful, and the art of lacquer painting is surely an important contribution from Vietnam to the global contemporary art scene.  A variety of substances are used in a highly complex and time-consuming production, and I count lacquer paintings as some of my personal favourite works of contemporary Vietnamese art. 

The market for contemporary Vietnamese paintings has exploded during the last few years.  From being a rather anonymous place for contemporary art, collectors from all over the world now flock to Vietnam.  The attention is to some extent justified since pieces of excellent quality and inspiration are being created.  As compared to most of the other countries in Asia, Vietnam has one of the most dynamic art scenes producing some of the most attractive paintings.  Prices have also skyrocketed lately, and one should choose with much care if the objective is to acquire more than a beautiful painting.  The future for contemporary Vietnamese paintings seems bright.  Manpower, education, inspiration and economic success - for the few perhaps – are in place.  The challenge is not to be complacent and rest on current successes, but to continuously strive for new areas of expression.