Raquelle Azran explains her passion for the contemporary Vietnamese scene, Vietnamese artists and the joy of discovering an emerging talent. Phuong Lien reports
Art collector and short story writer, Raquelle Azran, divides her time between Hanoi, Vietnam, where she specialises in Vietnamese contemporary art and Tel Aviv, Israel, where she writes overlooking the Mediterranean sea. Her passion for Vietnam is good news for contemporary artists. Since becoming acquainted with the Vietnamese art community in the early 90’s through the work of Luu Cong Nhan and Nguyen Quan in Ho Chi Minh City and Vinh Phoi in Hue, Azran has slowly amassed a collection of over 500 paintings. This mighty body of work includes works by classic Vietnamese artists such as Nguyen Tu Nghiem, Luu Cong Nhan and Pham Viet Song but also emerging artists such as Vu Thu Hien, Dinh Thi Tham Poong, and Mai Dac Linh. Azran displays these artists’ works in museum exhibitions, which she curates herself, in galleries all around the world. “I like the mingling of Eastern and Western influences in Vietnamese contemporary fine art,” she explains. “Artists graduating from the Hanoi Academy of Fine Art have a solid training in classical art, as well as first hand knowledge of the Vietnamese art experience. Therefore, their art has universal appeal.” Recently Azran recently worked with Phan Cam Thuong on his first solo exhibition in Singapore. “Phan Cam Thuong is a serious art critic, and one of the most creative academics I have met,” Azran says. “What I like about Thuong is that he says what he thinks and follows his own unique direction.” Working together with artists whenever in Vietnam, Azran considers herself very fortunate to have witnessed the development of Vietnamese contemporary art since the early years of doi moi. But she is keen to encourage the non-commercial aspects of Vietnamese contemporary fine art. “In the early 1990’s when the local art scene was not yet so developed, several galleries began to operate,” she says. “But what you saw in the galleries was not much different from what you saw in artists’ studios. Almost no one, other than Natasha in her salon, was offering guidance as to criteria for works worthy of exhibition, and artists were not yet critically aware of which works were ripe to be exhibited. Today, I am glad to note greater selectivity in works selected for public viewing, especially abroad.” Azran’s schedule in Hanoi is always full, meeting with artists and art critics, examining new work, and discovering new painters and galleries. This visit, she was pleased to see the new art centre (VAC) on Yet Kieu, and plans to utilise the exhibit space for non-commercial shows of both Vietnamese and international art. “Working with artists who are also my friends is a wonderful experience. We discuss art and exchange opinions about ideas, exhibitions and developing painters. It is important for me to hear from them what is happening here in Vietnam and it is important for them to hear from me what is happening outside Vietnam.” Currently, Azran is focusing on work by two Vietnamese female painters, Vu Thu Hien and Dinh Thi Tham Poong. In 2005 she curated a two-woman museum exhibition in Israel, in the Wilfrid Museum of Oriental Art, showing their paintings. Their work has also been selected for a two year travelling museum exhibition in the US, beginning January 2007. “Looking at work by Vietnamese women painters, it is clear how women all over the world are struggling to make sense of much the same issues, such as reconciling the physical and spiritual,” she says. “The meeting of personal and public spheres in women’s lives is a source of never-ending inspiration.” She is eager to meet art students and young artists, hoping to discover people with genuine talent and a unique creative mode of expression. “Through meeting new artists and seeing their work, I can envision ideas for future exhibitions, accompany the artists’ professional development, and learn about current trends in Vietnamese art. I can also inform the artists about current trends in the international art scene.” “As a collector, the greatest happiness is to discover a wonderful painting and enjoy the excitement of meeting a wonderful artist.” But Azran is quick to point out that the art scene in Vietnam is also in need of careful nurturing. “In Vietnam today, when talking about the economy, the keyword is stable and sustainable development,” she explains. “In art, too, artists must develop strong theoretical and conceptual foundations, upon which they can gradually develop their individual oeuvres.” “Your country is on the fast track of economic development, and there is a feeling that everything can and should happen very quickly. This is not true concerning art. I think young artists should be more patient, they should stop running and be aware that becoming a good artist requires dedication, reflection and especially time.” “I would like to suggest to Vietnamese artists to spend more time discovering who they are and mapping out their inner world before becoming concerned with sales and promotion.”
You can check out Raquelle Azran’s Vietnamese contemporary art collection www.artnet.com/razran.html
