Fuel for My Aesthetic Soul – June 16 2008

One of the many "galleries" where you can purchase "art"

Some images of the HCMC French Colonial Architecture




Fuel for My Aesthetic Soul – June 16 2008

After class today I summoned up the energy to visit the HCMC Fine Arts Museum. This is located in a grand building which was a pleasure in itself. Built in the early 20th century it combines classical European architecture with touches of Asian culture. The building was very worn and grimy but the elaborate iron balustrades and decorative grills, tiled floors, an imposing staircase and tall arched and shuttered windows spoke of the grandeur of earlier times. Like Islamic architecture it was elaborate but so beautifully balanced that the overall effect was entrancing.

Having gone through the typical process of paying an entrance fee to one employee, getting a ticket from another which I then passed over to a third person I proceeded to make my way to the contemporary section on the first floor. Despite the fact that there were very few visitors I was firmly directed to follow the signs and go instead up to the third floor to begin viewing. I had fairly limited expectations but a real treat awaited me.

The displays were dusty, battered and poorly lit but within the ancient art works there were some stunning pieces. I was particularly taken with the bronze incense burners and sculptures of animals and people. They were subtle and expressive, entirely different from the crass mass produced “art” that I have seen in the local “galleries”. Street after street includes these places where young people sit reproducing imitations of famous art works. Their products are so appalling that they make me wince as I walk past but the considerable number of them must indicate that many tourists chose to buy their wares. The “craft” shops are equally disappointing. Somewhere in Viet Nam there must still be people producing beautiful and unique crafts but these stores are stacked to the ceiling with piles of boringly repetitive, crudely produced junk. After weeks of exposure to this garbage my pleasure in seeing these wonderful old bronzes in the gallery was physical as well as emotional. It really did feel like food for my aesthetic soul. Unfortunately the English written information was very brief and uninformative. Descriptions such as; “round bronze bowl with lions” or “blue and white ceramic” may be accurate but they told me no more than what I could easily see.

In one dim room, amongst the old stone carvings, I came across a wonderful face of a monster. Looking very much like one of Sendak’s Wild Things it grinned at me across the centuries. I longed to ignore the multitude of “no photographs” signs so I could capture the image to share with others but the thought of an encounter with the Vietnamese police was enough to restrain me from following my impulse.

The two lower floors had modern and contemporary art work. Many of these were staid, poorly executed; politically approved paintings but there were some real gems to be found too. These works, many influenced by the violence of war, were strong, demanding pieces that warranted contemplation. A large print titled “Men Are Not For Burning” was particularly haunting. I am really glad that I visited this gallery but my pleasure was bittersweet. It was a delight but my memories of the enjoyment that Rob and I got from going to galleries together also bought a deep sadness to the experience.