Dear readers,

In the Western-centric narrative of art history, crafts have never been accorded their rightful place – a bias acutely felt in a postcolonial country such as Vietnam. Much of our existing written and verbal discourse has insisted that only with the establishment of the Indochina School of Fine Arts were artisans finally “elevated” into artists, and craft arts likewise “raised” to the level of fine art. Yet from an Eastern viewpoint, we would argue that the distinction lies merely in differing approaches: craft arts embodies a respect for the creative legacy of the collective and of preceding generations, whereas fine art rooted in Western academia places greater value on the individual imprint of the author.

In that vein, Art Nation #11, themed “Epitome of a Craft”, seeks to open a forum on the importance of craftsmanship in modern and contemporary art. We begin with the essay “Reclaiming a place for crafts”, before moving into [Art]Salon with a series of seven wide-ranging dialogues: art historian Kerry Nguyen-Long on her seminal publication on Vietnamese antiquities; master artisan Tran Van Nhanh on the Southern practice of reverse glass painting; critic-painter Nguyen Quan reflecting on the trajectory of Vietnamese fine art; visual artist Tuan Andrew Nguyen discussing contemporary practice; sculptor Le Anh Vu and his efforts to reinvigorate traditional ceramics; alongside perspectives from across the region by curator Chang Yueh Siang of the National University of Singapore Museum and Artistic Director Arin Rungjang of Thailand Biennale.

Running parallel to these discussions, [Art]natomy continues its tradition of tracing a series of cross-sections through the history of Vietnamese art. The paired research essays “In soliloquy with the past” and “Echoes of the courtly folds” examine the value of craft arts in antiquities and imperial artefacts. Thao Tran takes us back to the 1931 Paris Colonial Exposition, prompting a reconsideration of how the documentary corpus of Vietnamese craft arts first emerged before an international public. The skills deemed indispensable for artistic practice are also highlighted: from veteran resistance-generation painter Hoang Sung, to Gia Dinh artists and “time-keepers” now crossing the threshold of their twilight years, and onward to today’s contemporary practitioners in both Vietnam and the diaspora. Finally, [Art]jacent assembles points of intersection with other creative disciplines, spanning performance, photography, and fashion.

We hope this modest forum will inspire fresh reflections on the place of craft – a deep-rooted cultural anchor that has continued to shape the identity of Vietnamese art and enable it to engage the future with confidence. Enjoy the issue!

Yours craftfully,
Ace Le
Editor-in-Chief