I love orginal art and try to purchase when visiting other countries. In Thailand we bought inexpensive ($100.00- 300.00) orginal art at the night markets. Could anyone tell me if in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh that option would be available? This is our first time to Vietnam and would appreciate any suggestions on where to go to find art. Also will they ship to the states? Any information will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Sure. We bought art in the Old Quarter in Hanoi at a small gallery. The old man who owns the place didn't speak English, so we bargained in French. Another place I found original art was in the museum store in the Museum of Fine Arts (near the Temple of Literature). Also check out CraftLink, a fair trade crafts shop in the same area of Hnaoi.

We too bought art in Hanoi's Old Quarter, when we took shelter during a heavy rain at a gallery on the street where the toy shops are. Similarly, at a gallery in Hoi An (where, yes, the discussion was partly in French). But I don't remember being impressed with anything I saw at the night market in Hanoi, or in other of the market-type places.

As mentioned by Kathie and WillJame the old quarter of Ha Noi has a number of galleries. We purchased a wonderful laquerware portrait there which was quite differrent from anything else we had seen in the country. If you are going anywhere near Nha Trang then I would highly recommend a visit to Long Thahn's gallery - he really is a superb photographer and an interesting guy to chat to with some great stories about how he came to take some of his photographs;
http://www.elephantguide.com/longthanh/home.htm

Many of the better galleries have moved north from the center of the old city.

I had a lacquerware painting shopped home from a gallery in the Old City; the seller took care of shipping by sea from the post office.

The price was $60USD and I received it intact within the promised 7 weeks.

I've got some details here,if you want to wade through all the comments; see posts beginning on
April 14.


http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...ietnam-108.cfm

To clarify: The shipping price was US$60, not the price of the painting.

ekscrunchy- love the report! Thank you!

Crellston- great website! I get more excited about the art than the trip! Other people enjoy the food, the country side...me it's all about the art.

We have purchased several pieces in Vietman. some were on paper and one on canvas. These were rolled and put in a protective tube that went right in our suitcases. We did have a big piece of framed laquerware sent for under $100. We figured it would cost more than that to get it framed here in the states. I also got a piece of needle work done so finely it looks like a painting. You really have to get close to see the stiches.

A few years old, but might be still of interest:


http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/02/18...pagewanted=all

ekscrunch Thanks! Awesome article. Printed it out. Made my day.

we also bought a piece of minute stitch needle work that looks like a painting.

some art we bought at the fine arts museum in hanoi

If you are looking for photography art work then you can take your time to check it out:

http://www.exploringmekong.com/photographic-souvenirs/

Hope it will be helpful for you.

Thank you so much for the site. I am looking contempory art. Really like abstract or impressionist. However, if photography abounds in Viet Nam, I'll purchase. I do like photography especially black and white. I used to drive a powerboat for a photographer who took photos of saiboats racing. It was an extremely interesting weekend thing. He paid me in pictures. Many appeared in sailing magazines.