{"id":2078,"date":"2017-07-25T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-07-25T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thereveriesaigon.com\/?p=2078"},"modified":"2022-05-24T15:30:28","modified_gmt":"2022-05-24T14:30:28","slug":"pearls-of-saigon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thereveriesaigon.com\/zh-hant\/pearls-of-saigon\/","title":{"rendered":"Pearls of Saigon"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

***PLEASE NOTE: the below information was accurate at the time of publication in July 2017. This offering has, however, since been updated to offer a fresh new experience. Please visit the Pearls of Saigon page<\/a> for the latest on this art stay package***<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

The Reverie Saigon unveils Vietnamese history through a prism of art<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (July 25, 2017) \u2014 Otherwise renowned as the \u2018Pearl of the Orient,\u2019 a city once recalled for its colonial rule and war-torn past is now emerging as one of Asia\u2019s most dynamic business centres and luring would-be guests with a lesser known but no less compelling attribute: its art.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Launched this month by The Reverie Saigon, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World<\/em> that garnered international acclaim in its debut year, \u2018Pearls of Saigon\u2019 presents a full-day exploration of select venues \u2013 museums, galleries and artists\u2019 studios \u2013 that cumulatively sheds light on one of Asia\u2019s most intriguing destinations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

More than a look at art for art\u2019s sake, \u2018Pearls of Saigon\u2019 tells the story of Vietnam from the dawn of the 20th<\/sup> century to the present day using art as pivot points to unveil the story of a nation subdued under colonial rule, striving for independence, paralysed by war and, finally, in bloom once again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

\u201cWhat has unfolded in Vietnam since the height of French colonialism, whatever the politics of your perspective, is one incredibly fascinating story after another,\u201d said General Manager Kai Speth. \u201cAnd the art that developed in tandem is so evocative and revealing that even just an introduction to it may well endure as the most memorable experience of a traveller\u2019s time in Vietnam.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Leading the tours for The Reverie Saigon are two savvy and studious expatriates \u2013 Sophie Hughes and Stu Palmer \u2013 who have each called Vietnam home since 2009 and who have explored the country\u2019s art scene as, collectively, a gallery manager and a film festival director as well as artistic collaborators. In 2011, Sophie founded Sophie\u2019s Art Tour, which is widely hailed as the country\u2019s foremost bridge between international visitors and Vietnamese art.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Each eight-hour exploration is custom-curated for its audience and ranges from an in-depth, general overview for the casual enthusiast to more esoteric targets for aficionados.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Must-see stops will include a walkabout of the Duc Minh private gallery \u2013 which features an incomparable collection of modern and post-modern works by, amongst others, artists from the \u00c9cole Sup\u00e9rieure des Beaux Arts de L\u2019Indochine (EBAI) \u2013 as well as a visit to Salon Saigon, a refined and exquisitely appointed space which houses a fine arts library and salon dedicated to presenting contemporary works and showcasing Vietnamese heritage as well as other Asian cultures through performances, screenings and educational programmes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Salon Saigon is also the setting for a private, five-course lunch of traditional Vietnamese cuisine and a tour-within-a-tour introduction to the Salon\u2019s private collection and library by its director (or programme coordinator), an experience exclusive to \u2018Pearls of Saigon\u2019 guests. Guests can also request live piano accompaniment for the duration of their prix-fixe meal or an approximate 15-minute live performance of traditional Vietnamese dance by a troupe of 4-6 dancers (at additional charge).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Particularly interesting to history buffs, the compound in which Salon Saigon is situated was, during the Vietnam War, home to the U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam, Henry Cabot Lodge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Other sites visited along the way may include the grand halls of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum, which was built in 1929 as a palace for a wealthy merchant family, as well as a selection of galleries, artists\u2019 homes and studios (subject to availability).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

In addition to introducing the destination through the perspectives of artists who studied, documented and resisted pivotal periods of change in 20th<\/sup> and 21st<\/sup> century Vietnam \u2013 including how art was leveraged in wartime as a tool of resistance, revolution and reconstruction \u2013 the tour also highlights how contemporary art galleries are now working with Vietnamese and international artists to nurture experimentation and create opportunities for emerging artists.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

As a complement to the day-long excursion about the city, the \u2018Pearls of Saigon\u2019 experience exposes guests to an array of remarkable design pieces at The Reverie Saigon, itself \u2013 a hotel that is at once a collaboration of 17 of Italy\u2019s leading design houses and a manifestation of contemporary Vietnamese taste. Guests have the option to request a private tour of the hotel that touches upon a selection of its most talked-about pieces.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Beyond the tour itself, the \u2018Pearls of Saigon\u2019 package includes:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n