PHILIPPINE EMBASSY IN HANOI ORGANIZES TWO-DAY ART EXHIBIT TO COMMEMORATE THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF PH-VN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
31 March 2025 - The Philippine Embassy in Hanoi together with the Philippine Honorary Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City organized a two-day exhibit entitled “Blossoming Bridges: Women Artists Celebrate 10 Years of Strategic Partnership” from 27 to 28 March 2025.
Hosted in Nam Thi House in Ho Chi Minh City, Filipino artists Bing Famoso and Mylene Quito showcased ten pieces each. Ms. Famoso, founder of Philippine Botanical Art Society and Philippine Fauna Art Society, showcased five paintings of endemic Philippine birds including the Philippine Eagle and Negros Bleeding Heart and five endemic Vietnamese birds such as the Collared Laughingthrush and Edward’s Pheasant. Ms. Quito showcased ten paintings of indigenous Philippine flowers such as the sampaguita, ylang-ylang and the Palawan Cherry Blossom with her signature bold colors, texture and layering technique.
Joining the Filipino artists was 90-year-old Vietnamese painter Madam Nguyen Thi Tam, an accomplished and well-decorated artist based in Ho Chi Minh known for her silk paintings. With lotus as her favorite subject, she displayed ten of her works which feature her signature style of gentle strokes and use of soft, elegant colors, leaving a deep impression on viewers.
In attendance were members of the diplomatic corps based in Ho Chi Minh City, representatives from the Vietnamese business community, members of the Filipino community including Philippine businessmen, and artists, collectors and art enthusiasts from Ho Chi Minh City and the surrounding provinces.
Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam Meynardo LB. Montealegre, in his remarks, highlighted how art is a powerful tool to connect people from different backgrounds and communicate emotions and histories that both Vietnamese and Philippine audiences can relate to. He also noted that as March is International Women’s Month, the exhibit recognizes the vital role of women in society, particularly in preserving art and cultural heritage and in bridging diverse communities.
As the event commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership of the Philippines and Vietnam, he shared how the exhibit highlights the partnership between the two countries which extends beyond political and economic cooperation, fostering deeper people-to-people exchanges through art and culture.
“Let this event serve both as a celebration of the 10 Years of Strategic Partnership between the Philippines and Vietnam, but also as an invitation to continue collaborating and fostering greater understanding between our people.”
END.
Ambassador Montealegre giving his opening remarks during the exhibit
Ambassador Montealegre with VN artist Nguyen Thi Tam
Members of the Ho Chi Minh City diplomatic corps, Philippine and Vietnamese businessmen and art enthusiasts gathering in Nam Thi House for the opening of the exhibit
Ambassador Montealegre (6th from left) with Philippine Honorary Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Atty. Le Thi Phung (5th from left) together with Philippine artists Ms. Bing Famoso (3rd from right) and Ms. Mylene Quito (2nd from right) with the rest of the Philippine Embassy team.
