Postcard from Vietnam

eO artist Robyn Wainman and family have recently returned from a backpacking trip to Vietnam.



In this emailed "postcard", Robyn makes comment on Vietnam's contemporary art culture and in particular, the work of twin brothers Le Ngoc ThanH and Le Duc Hai. Their work can be found here

"Tamara Lempicka appropriations and any other painting you may want - all over Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) - you walk into the galleries and see the artists reproducing from a meagre post card size!

Away from Saigon (the Copy City) there are brilliant artists being shown in galleries
in the funniest locations - conceptual and bloody brilliant artists - with massive accreditations and European exhibitions under there belts. I have been blown away with the contemporary works (many in lacquer work) that are shown in down town poverty areas.

The starting prices are not cheap (approx $900 US for 1mt sq. as an average), but that is before haggling for a 'happy' price! - that is 'happy for them and happy for us"!

There has been many works that I would have haggled for at another time. The Vietnamese artist works are so out there, but when you meet the artist, they are ordinary, and usually middle aged, simple 'males' who must be considered radical amongst there own. I did not come across a female artist, but that doesn't surprise
me as the female is still a second class citizen in Vietnam, and lesser than all if she is the mother of daughters only! Even now, the doctors lie to pregnant mums about the sex of their babies until they are into their seventh month if they
are carrying a girl baby, to avoid abortion - as they are 'women without voice' if they don't first bear a son. Many times over the last three weeks I have been congratulated on my 'powerful voice', as the mother of two sons! - if only they knew!!

In Saigon we met a professor of social (something), who lectures in Australia and England on the inequality of Vietnamese females and socialist doctrines that could bring about his assassination if it wasn't for the powerful few that he has in his pocket.

The dramatic difference in the social equality explodes as you travel from north to south. The people in the north are decades behind those in the south, with a visible difference in each province. The people have put the war behind them, but those in the rural north would have no comprehension of what has been gained in the south. Our last day in ‘Nam took us to the 'Remnant Museum' - a strange name for a mainly photographic recollection of the atrocities of the war. There is little reference to
Australia’s contribution - it is the US who altered the destiny of Vietnam - the US have a lot to answer for, as we know, but when seen graphically depicted, as this museum does, there remains so many unanswered questions.

Getting heavy now - change of subject…….."