HCM CITY — From 14 to 17 August, Sotheby's auction house will return to Viet Nam for the second time with the non-selling exhibition Mộng Viễn Đông (The Faraway East: of Dreams and Pursuits), introducing the works of French artists who travelled to or lived in Indochina.

The painting Le goûter by Alix Aymé (1940).

Following Sotheby’s first-ever non-selling exhibition in Việt Nam in 2022, Hồn Xưa Bến Lạ (Timeless Souls: Beyond the Voyage), which saw thousands of visitors from around the world attending the four-day event, Sotheby’s is delighted to return with The Faraway East: of Dreams and Pursuits.

A sequel to last year, the exhibition explores the narrative of French artists who travelled to or lived in Indochina, and how they constructed their visions of the land and its people.

The exhibition features more than 50 works by artists including the likes of Victor Tardieu, Jean-Louis Paguenaud and André Maire.

“As we are nearing the 100th anniversary of Indochina Fine Arts College, it is important to recognise the contributions of the French artists who came here not just to set up an art academy, but an entire art movement with a legacy to last. Their journeys embody a repertoire of personal and collective ambitions, dreams and perspectives, and reflect not just the Western influence on the Vietnamese art discourse, but also vice versa,” Ace Lê, curator and Sotheby's country head of Việt Nam, said.

Jasmine Prasetio, Sotheby's managing director in Southeast Asia, said: “Marking our 50 Years in Asia and a successful recent exhibition and auction in Singapore, we are excited to set another milestone in Southeast Asia by being back in Viet Nam with the second edition of our exhibition series. As we envision our future in the region, our core mission continues with building local art and cultural ecosystems. By showcasing these sublime works for the public, we hope they will engage, inform, and inspire the art community and beyond."

The exhibition will open to the public from August 14 to 17 at Park Hyatt Saigon Ballroom, 2 Lam Sơn Square District 1, HCM City. Audiences can register via the link: https://rsvp.theworldsbest.events/_4o5rz. — VNS