A short walk through Toong workspace in HCM City's Xuân Hòa Ward currently doubles as a gallery visit. The second edition of Dòng Chảy Sơn Mài (The Confluence) opened there on October 10, bringing together 63 lacquer paintings from 20 artists in a single, free-flowing display.
Lacquer painting is one of Vietnam's signature art forms — built up in layers of resin, pigment and often gold or silver leaf, then polished by hand over weeks. The exhibition leans into that tradition while pushing it somewhere modern. The works are arranged across three concept spaces covering everything from landscapes and everyday street scenes to abstract pieces drawing on folk culture, religion and personal reflection.
The artists come from varied backgrounds, and the range shows. One standout story is Mai Kim Oanh (also known as Olivia Mai), who is showing two works tied to images of her young daughter. One of them picked up a promising talent prize from the HCM City Fine Arts Association at the 2026 Traditional Lacquer Painting Exhibition in September.
The organisers — Toong workspace, Gốc Creation and Trần Có Art Space — say the aim is simple: get lacquer painting in front of more people, not just collectors and galleries. That seems to be working. Among early visitors was Belgian tourist Alain Jacquemin, a lacquer art fan who seeks out exhibitions whenever he travels to Vietnam and left this one planning to buy a piece or two.
The show runs until November 10, which makes it an easy add-on for anyone in Ho Chi Minh City this autumn. If you want to understand Vietnamese art beyond the usual souvenir watercolours, lacquer is where the craft tradition and contemporary scene meet — and seeing 20 different artists' takes side by side is a fast way in. Works on display are typically available to buy too, so you could come home with something far more interesting than fridge magnets.
