culture
Social Club Rooftop Bar Captures Ho Chi Minh City's Dynamic Art Scene
From its perch high above the city, the bar offers a vantage point on the dynamic contemporary art community that has taken root in Ho Chi Minh City over the past decade.
How we reported this
The Social Club Rooftop Bar on the 24th floor of Hôtel des Arts Saigon draws locals and visitors for its sweeping views across the Ho Chi Minh City skyline at sunset.
The perspective from this spot captures a city whose contemporary art scene has shifted in recent years from a mainly commercial focus to a wider mix of artists, gallerists, curators and educators. That change has created new platforms for Vietnamese work after earlier shortages of infrastructure and support.
Independent spaces driving exchange
Sàn Art opened in 2007 at 132 Ben Van Don in District 4 and runs exhibitions, talks, workshops and residency programmes aimed at building stronger connections with visual art. Its public reading room and long-term artist laboratory sit at the centre of efforts to bring local and international partners together for new commissions.
MoT+++ started in 2015 at 1057 Đường Bình Quới in Bình Thạnh district as an artist-run spot that mixes exhibitions, performances, sound events and open studios. The collective behind it has added projects such as a roaming museum installation and an artist residency called A. Farm in District 12.
Commercial galleries with steady programmes
Craig Thomas Gallery opened in 2009 at 27i Đường Trần Nhật Duật in District 1 and focuses on young and mid-career Vietnamese artists working in painting, sculpture and mixed media. The space hosts regular shows that introduce these artists to wider audiences.
Galerie Quynh occupies a 600 square-meter space at 118 Đường Nguyễn Văn Thủ in District 1 and has run since 2003 with programmes that range from drawing and painting to video and installation. The gallery works with local and overseas artists, curators and museums on talks and collaborative projects, according to the City Art Guide on The Artling.
Visitors can combine an evening at the rooftop bar with daytime stops at these addresses to see how the scene continues to expand through both non-profit and commercial efforts.