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…….."
