Saigonese Painter Exhibits "A Little Love for the City" in Hanoi
The month of October, art exhibition "A Little Love for the City" displays more than 50 Hanoi-inspired artworks created by watercolor artist Hoang Phong over the course of six years.
36-year-old Vietnamese artist Hoang Phong fell in love with Hanoi ever since his first visit in 2017. Although this is his first-ever exhibition in Hanoi, Phong shared that his Hanoi-inspired paintings reached art lovers in many different ways over the past few years.
In 2020, Phong's paintings made the cover of the two-volume book collection "Chuyen Cu Ha Noi" (Hanoi's Old Stories) by Kim Dong Publishing House. The book collection was published on the occasion of the 100th birthday of legendary book author To Hoai.
One of 54 paintings exhibited at the exhibition "A Little Love for the City" in Hanoi (Photo: Nhung Nguyen).
Phong believed what brought him to Hanoi was curiosity but then he kept coming back to Hanoi many times over the past few years as if to visit a dear friend.
When he first visited, he was fascinated by the way the ancient values are preserved in the architecture and the lifestyle. For each visit, he was constantly on the road to look for inspiration in street corners, or relics and houses. The artist's curiosity gradually turned to inspiration. Even after returning to Saigon, he still pictures himself sitting in a small cafe on the Dinh Tien Hoang Street corner and painting the streets of the capital city passionately.
"I am a realist artist. To create the most realistic paintings, I came back to Hanoi many times to capture photos or materials to enrich the references. Then I created my interpretation of the sceneries, using both my memories and the references," said the Saigonese artist.
When Phong shared his artworks on online art forums or on social media, many people were moved by the artist' interesting love story with Hanoi. "A Little Love for the City" by Hoang Phong also attracted great attention because it was exhibited on the occasion of the 69th anniversary of Hanoi's Liberation Day (October 10/1954- 2023). This is the ideal time to admire the beautiful creations while reminiscing about Hanoi of the old days.
Some of the captures at the exhibition:
The Old Quarter is a popular themes in Hoang Phong's paintings (Photo: Nhung Nguyen).
Many Hanoi's architects are a mix of old and new styles (Photo: Nhung Nguyen).
The month of October is the ideal time to admire the beautiful creations while remincising about Hanoi of the old days (Photo: Nhung Nguyen).
(Photo: Nhung Nguyen).
The exibition is located in the center of Hanoi, which attracts many visitors (Photo: Nhung Nguyen).
Hanoi's iconic relics were portrayed in Phong's paintings (Photo: Nhung Nguyen).
(Photo: Nhung Nguyen).
Trung Vuong Secondary School (Photo: Nhung Nguyen).
Saigon-based artist Hoang Phong at the opening ceremony of the exhibition (Photo: Me Tranh).
"A Little Love for the City" - a watercolor painting exhibition organized by Saigon-based artist Hoang Phong together with the Management Board of Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Old Quarter.
From October 10- 29, the exhibition displays the ancient beauty of Hanoi through 54 paintings, included in a set of 100 watercolor paintings about Hanoi Hoang Phong.
The event made overseas Vietnamese remember and love Hanoi more and helped young generations understand more about the typical traditional cultural features of Hanoians and ...
On the morning of September 28, the Viksit Bharat 2025 Race organized by the Embassy of India in Vietnam in collaboration with MY Bharat under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Government of India was successfully held at Thong Nhat Park, Hanoi. More than 200 runners participated.
In September 2025, Hanoi welcomed 4.17 million visitors, marking a historic high and a 98% surge compared to the same period in 2024. The unprecedented growth is largely attributed to the vibrant festivities commemorating the 80th anniversary of Independence Day on September 2 (A80) held in the capital city.
To preserve and promote intangible cultural values, the Thang Long–Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center is organizing the program “Mid-Autumn Festival 2025” at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel from October 1 to 5.
"Vietnam - RoK Cultural Day 2025" is not only an event in the realm of culture and the arts, but also a large-scale people-to-people and cultural diplomacy initiative.
The Central Committee of the Vietnam–Thailand Friendship Association collaborated with the Da Nang City chapter to plan the coordination of welcoming three Thai students who will practice Vietnamese and explore Vietnamese culture in October 2025.
On September 25 in Hanoi, Good Neighbors International (GNI) celebrated 20 years of operation in Vietnam, marking a steadfast journey with hundreds of thousands of children and communities, while reaffirming its commitment to a sustainable Vietnam.
Leaders of the Da Nang People’s Committee met with a delegation from World Vision International US – Vietnam Office (WVI/VN) on September 25. The visit provided an opportunity to further facilitate the implementation of WVI’s programs and projects, ensuring they best meet the needs of local communities.
One day in late August 2025, as floodwaters surged through the Vietnam Friendship Village, Nguyen Thang Long, its Director, rolled up his pants and waded through the rising water. Side by side with staff members, he helped move equipment and tended to each child and veteran with unwavering care. At 68, he continues to embody the spirit of a soldier, steadfast, compassionate, and deeply committed to nurturing humanity and reconciliation.