Mid-Autumn traditions come alive at Ho Chi Minh City art exhibition

The gallery is divided into three spaces inspired by traditional Vietnamese architecture.

At the center is the independent installation Thung Thinh Thung, featuring four northern Vietnamese folk-style lion heads from the Trang Ta traditional toy restoration project suspended above traditional drums.

The lion heads are handcrafted from bamboo and rattan frames, papier-mâché, fabric, and rustic decorative motifs.

Visitors can also listen to a contemporary folk instrumental work composed specifically for the exhibition by artist Dzung.

Other spaces display gouache paintings and works on do paper by renowned painter Nguyen Tu Nghiem, featuring zodiac animals and festivals, alongside a collection of Mid-Autumn-themed woodblock prints.

Through familiar images of lion dances, lantern processions, and full-moon nights, artists from different generations offer new interpretations of folk memories.

Kevin Vuong, the artist behind the Trang Ta project, said his interest in lion dancing began in childhood and later inspired him to recreate the traditional lion.

He said the broader aim is to bring this cultural tradition into everyday life instead of leaving it only in museums or allowing it to be forgotten.

Through the exhibition, Vuong hopes to encourage greater appreciation of Vietnamese folk art.

Tho, co-founder of EMGallery, said the gallery chose the Mid-Autumn Festival theme to create a timely exhibition while helping spread traditional culture more widely in the community.

The exhibition also features an art talk, Folk Art: The Road to Modernity, at 2:30 pm on Saturday, with Kevin Vuong, collector Thanh Uy, contemporary instrumental artist Dzung, and Tho.

A workshop on decorating traditional northern Vietnamese lion heads will take place on Sunday, with sessions from 9:30 am to noon and from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm. Participants will also hear the Trang Ta team share the story behind the traditional lion-head design.