Australian artist shows “Figures in time” in Saigon

Australian artist Will Whitehouse has opened his first solo exhibition “Figures In Time” at Vin Gallery in HCMC’s District 2.

The exhibition features nearly 30 oil and acrylic canvases as well as a selection of Whitehouse’s life drawings. Characters in his paintings are a security guard near his apartment, a woman vendor of banh mi (Vietnamese-style bread), an old noodle shop owner, a street sweeper, and people whom Whitehouse has seen in his daily life.

The human form plays a predominant role in his works, yet it is more than a study of anatomy and the play of light and dark on the flesh. Human expressions and gestures have the ability to send compelling messages. Themes of isolation, vulnerability and uncertainty are accentuated in his works through color relationships and brushstrokes.

Whitehouse told the Daily that having lived for seven years in Vietnam he sees the country as a good place to pursue his passion for art as he can earn a living by working as a part-time English teacher and spend the rest of the time to create artworks. Whitehouse also looks to become a real painter in the future.

According to Vin Gallery, which discovered Whitehouse’s talent, his passionate painterly approach combined with his sometimes-unsettling subject matter has created an exciting body of work.

The exhibition runs until June 13 at Vin Gallery at 6 Le Van Mien Street, Thao Dien Ward, District 2, HCMC.

Vietnamese folk painting to be exhibited in Japan

An exhibition, themed ‘Vietnamese wood-engraved painting: from traditional to modern’, will be organised in Tokyo, Japan from June 7-16, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The exhibition will showcase 110 folk wood-engraved painting collections from Dong Ho painting village, Bac Ninh province; 20 Hang Trong wood-engraved paintings from Hanoi; 40 folk wood-engraved painting collections from Sinh village, Thua Thien-Hue province; and 20 modern wood-engraved works by Vietnamese painters.

Meanwhile, a series of products from craft villages, which feature Vietnamese cultural identity, will be introduced at the exhibition.

The exhibition offers a chance to promote Vietnam’s traditional fine art, strengthen the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Japan, and contribute to boosting cultural exchanges and understanding between the two countries.

Earlier, a programme to promote Vietnamese wood-engraved paintings was held in Osaka, Japan.

Night of gags with Canadian stand-up

Two Canadian comedians Pat Burtscher and Garrett Jamieson will present a night of stand-up comedy The Canadian Connection at Phatty's tonight.

Burtscher has toured worldwide and performed at popular international comedy festivals in Edinburgh, Toronto and Melbourne.

A graduate of the The Humber School of Comedy, Jamieson is one of the founding members of the Toronto-based sketch comedy troupe The Boom. He is also part of Comedy Records, Canada's first and only comedy record label.

The event will begin at 8pm at 40-42 Ton That Thiep Street in District 1. Tickets are priced at VND199,000 in advance, and VND220,000 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased at http://saigoninternationalcomedy.com/book-a-seat.

Night market for Nepal at Eden Hanoi

The Bamboo School and Viet Nam for Nepal, a fund for earthquake victims, have collaborated to organise a night market and fair in the beautiful outdoor space at Eden Hanoi tomorrow.

The event, from 5.30-10.30pm, will include live music from international and local musicians, international cuisine, fun activities and workshops for kids and adults like face painting, henna tattoos, glass decorating, fashion workshops and auctions of spectacular prizes.

All tickets sales proceeds, and part of the vendors' proceeds, will go towards Abari (http://www.abari.org), which is building earthquake resistant structures in rural Nepal.

Eden Hanoi: 264 Au Co Street, Tay Ho District.

Female talents showcased in performance

A group of female artists living in HCM City will take part in the Bite Me: Showcase of Female Talent show at Saigon Outcast on Saturday, June 6.

It will feature Canadian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist La-Nai Gabriel, Filipino vocalist Mirasol Aguila, American dancer Emily Navarra and several female DJs, vocalists and musicians.

The performance will at 4pm at 188/1 Nguyen Van Huong Street in District 2. Entrance fee is VND50,000.

Techno producer to perform at Madake Bar

On Saturday, MoTioN a series of music performances hosted by Madake Bar featuring talented artists from all over the world will help develop the music scene in Ha Noi.

It will present techno producer Etapp Kyle from the well-known Klockworks recordings.

Kyle is on the threshold of a new level of creativity, alongside techno music's key artists. His studio work is being met with critical acclaim by respected artists and labels. Having enlisted the support and interest of Russia's Techno institution ARMA17, he made his first appearance in Moscow a couple of years ago.

These days he is travelling around the world to present his sounds. Kyle's performance will start at 9pm. Tickets cost VND150,000.

Madake: 81 Xuan Dieu Street, Tay Ho District.

Summer kids' cooking class

During June, the Sheraton Hanoi Hotel will host mini-chef cooking classes for kids every Sunday. The kids will be inspired a passion for cooking from the hotel's award-winning chefs and learn to cook some simple dishes like salads, cakes and spring rolls. The class will take place from 10am to 12noon at Oven D'or Restaurant, VND500,000net/ticket, and includes a cooking class and afternoon hi-tea buffet. Contact (04) 37199000/hot line: 0904 850 995.

Thrillers hit movies screen in June

Two French thrillers and an animated film will be presented at the Institute of Cultural Exchange with France (IDECAF) this month.

The featured films include Fred Cavaye's Mea Culpa about murder investigations and Fabrice Du Welz's Colt 45 about an army expert who tries to prove his innocence after being accused of using his newly invented weapon for robberies. They will be shown on June 6 and 27, respectively.

Le Roi et l'Oiseau (The King and the Mockingbird), a 1980 animated film directed by Paul Grimault, will be shown on June 20.

All films will be screened at 3pm with Vietnamese subtitles.

The institute is at 28 Le Thanh Ton Street in District 1. Tickets are VND30,000.

Music show features Japanese artists

Saigon Rockers will host the Mad Fyah show highlighting performances of artists from Japan and Viet Nam on June 6.

The event, which will be held at La Fenetre Soleil, will feature Kudohman and the ukulele duo Aloha Family, who will play reggae and dancehall music. DJs from Saigon Rockers and Saigon Dub Station will also take part.

The show will take place from 10pm to 2am at 44 Ly Tu Trong Street in District 1. Entrance fee is VND100,000. 

Argentinean photographers show works on Vietnam

As many as 26 photos of Vietnamese landscapes and livelihoods by Argentinean artists are being showcased on June 3 in the capital city of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The exhibits have been selected from hundreds of photos taken by a group of 13 photographers during their 25-day trip across Vietnam early this year.

The event features the daily activities of Vietnamese people in Ho Chi Minh City during the New Year holiday (Tet) as well as the beauty of the World Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites of Ha Long Bay and Hoi An Ancient Town in northern Quang Ninh and central coastal province of Quang Nam, respectively.

Professor Marcelo Gurruchaga from the Argentina University of Enterprises (UADE), one of the group members, highlighted his impressions of the Vietnamese land and people.

Analia Gurruchaga, also from the delegation, expressed her adoration of Vietnam and its people, saying the nation boasts a long and glorious history, rich culture, great friendliness and hospitality.

The event will run until June 12.