Living with Vietnamese people...

They chose Hoi An, with a passion for the culture and scenery of this place. From this small land on the Hoai River, they started more adventures with art...

Saeko Ando introduces her lacquer work. Photo: LY

Dreaming about the art of balance

In August 2023, the exhibition “Microcosm - Macrocosm - Hoi An where I live between two universes” by Japanese artist Saeko Ando marked her return to Hoi An people, right in this land. Saeko Ando is known as the only Japanese female artist who uses lacquer - a traditional Vietnamese paint material to create.

In 2016, after 21 years living in Saigon and Hanoi, Saeko Ando returned to Hoi An. Although Hoi An was the place she stopped the longest during her first trip to Vietnam in 1995, Saeko Ando said that choosing to live in Hoi An was a period of mental transformation when she felt one with nature.

A source of energy emanating from nature, this Japanese woman expressed her thoughts through art. She said that her paintings during this period always had the intersection between humans and all things.

In the exhibition "Moon" held in September 2023 in Ho Chi Minh City, after the success of the first exhibition in Hoi An, Saeko Ando continued to convey this spirit to viewers.

Zen philosophy, a passion for nature, and the influence of Japanese aesthetics all come together and blend skillfully in her lacquer artworks.

Saeko Ando said that now, she has become a part of the Hoi An community. This female artist has established a painting studio in Hoi An.

In addition to creating lacquer works in her own style, she also shares her experience and creative knowledge from lacquer to younger people. This female artist hopes to establish a gathering place for people who love culture and fine arts, called “Hoi An Lacquer”...

From the window looking out to sea

Lodovico Rugerri - an Italian man has been in Hoi An for more than 20 years. Long enough for him to speak Vietnamese fluently like a Quang Nam person. His two young daughters play with children in the fishing village without any barriers of language or behavior.

Lodo’s house is close to the sea and has many windows. Opening up, a spacious lawn welcomes the sunshine and wind from the sea right in front of the house. The architecture and construction materials of this house all choose the concept closest to nature.

Lodo's wife - Belgian designer Aldegonde van Alsenoy chose the grain of sedge mats as a decorative accent for the special house.

Ava is a designer close to Co Tu women. Photo: AVANA Vietnam

Lodo is the one who “stirred up” Cu Lao Cham when he brought the first diving tours here. He has a diving center, both teaching diving and doing tourism.

In 2020, a series of tourism events in Hoi An were born every Saturday night, in the An Bang beach area, organized by Lodo and his friends. From music, doodle drawing, ceramics, dance and hip hop to mural art... each with its own color to "wake up Hoi An" after long days of silence due to the pandemic.

Ava is a designer close to the Co Tu people. Along with the fashion brand Avana, she has also established the brand Co'tu,re - a combination of the words Co Tu and haute couture (high-class fashion). The clothing models using Co Tu brocade materials and modern design ideas are being introduced in countries such as Belgium, Japan, France, Italy...

Passionate about Vietnamese culture, intoxicated by the peaceful scenery of Hoi An, they chose to come to this land to live with the Vietnamese people...

CO'TU, RE is AVANA's signature collection and also the first collaboration between two Belgian designers, Nele De Block SENNES and Aldegonde van Alsenoy (Ava).

Inspired by the bead weaving techniques of Co Tu ethnic women, they launched CO'TU, RE - a fair trade collection that combines high fashion with the art of weaving. The two designers supported Co Tu weavers in Dhơ'rông village to establish their own sustainable business group: CoTu YaYa. Designer Nele provided guidance on design and weaving techniques, while designer Ava supported them with the skills needed to run their own supply chain.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/song-cung-nguoi-viet-198077.html