About
About
the Nguyen Art Foundation is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of art in Vietnam, and abroad. From its base in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), it provides direct support to artists working in Vietnam to create new works, both through the traditional acquisition of artworks, and by providing funding and space for artists to produce new works. It hopes to encourage a new culture in contemporary art collecting that prioritises artists over acquisitions, and fosters opportunities for innovation and development in contemporary art.
Established in 2018, the Nguyen Art Foundation was born from a desire to better serve the artistic community of Vietnam. It was formed through the collaboration of patron and founder Quynh Nguyen, under the continuing guidance of artist and founder of MoT+++ Cam Xanh (pseudonym of Thanh Tran Ha). Since its conception, the foundation has worked to build an alternative infrastructure for the arts in Vietnam, and construct the base for what it hopes will form Vietnam’s first museum of contemporary art. The foundation aims to expand the possibilities for contemporary art in Vietnam by facilitating global exchange that enriches not only individual practices, but engages the overall growth of the Vietnamese art scene.
The collection focuses on artists connected in any way to Vietnam. It refuses to limit artists by any definition of their identity that is restricted to nationality, instead prioritising their practice and artistic concept as defining factors. It collects works from both Vietnamese and foreign artists, enlarging definitions of what is considered ‘Vietnamese’ art, and problematising the term ‘Vietnamese artist’.
Acting as a multi-limbed support structure, it launched A. Farm, an international art residency in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in 2018, in conjunction with art spaces Sàn Art and MoT+++. Open to local and foreign artists, A. Farm’s mission is to further facilitate the cross-pollination of art and ideas between individuals. Funded residencies are made available by the Nguyen Art Foundation each season, with priority given to artists from Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Education is a core value of the foundation, which also partners with EMASI and the Renaissance International School Saigon (Renaissance), to connect students with domestically and internationally recognised artists. It embeds artworks into the daily experience of students by featuring its collection both across campuses and in dedicated art spaces, positioning the arts as a central influence in students’ lives.
the Nguyen Art Foundation is collectively managed by MoT+++.
Mission
It is the Nguyen Art Foundation’s mission to directly support art and artists connected to Vietnam, working both in-country and abroad.
Its philosophy of contemporary collecting is one that gives back to artists, not only through the acquisition of their artworks, but by creating platforms that give their practice the opportunity to mature and grow.
Contact
To contact the Nguyen Art Foundation please email nguyenartfoundation@gmail.com.