Two Charming Lions

A visit to Phat Tich Pagoda in Bac Ninh Province There is a current debate concerning the guardian lions of Vietnam that stand in pairs at the entrances of religious and government buildings. A pair of guardian lions comprise of one male (yin) and one female (yang). The male has one foot on an embroidered … Read more

Flying Colors

Traditional flags and their meanings in Vietnam Flags have been used to communicate meanings, directions and identities for over 6,000 years. The earliest known flag is a bronze relic from Iran dated around 4,000BC. I never thought much about the meanings of flags until I moved to Vietnam where they are far more common than … Read more

Snap decisions: Collecting photography

Someone recently asked me: “Are photographic prints collectable? Can collecting photography be an investment the same way as art?” My answer is absolutely! And right now is a very good time to start collecting, right here in Vietnam. Across the world, 19th, 20th and 21st century photography have occasionally sold for millions of dollars at … Read more

Human Touch

An artist gets her kicks in Singapore Visiting Singapore after two years in Vietnam is such a treat for an artist like me. It was the annual Affordable Art Fair in the exhibition halls near the Singapore wheel. I was dazzled by the array of contemporary art on offer from galleries who had travelled to … Read more