“Saigon Serenity”

“Saigon Serenity” 18in x 24in, acrylic paint on canvas, 2025

Saigon Serenity” is a tribute to the quiet, everyday beauty of Vietnamese household life that have quietly shaped my identity, my memories, and my connection to home.

The porcelain bowls, dầu xanh (a green medicated oil that is an essential in a Vietnamese medicine cabinet), bright red chopsticks, lì xì (lucky money in red envelopes during the Lunar New Year), muổng phở (used to sip noodle soup), and Bầu cua cá cọp (a traditional Asian game), may seem ordinary at first glance, but each carries deep meaning.

These objects have shaped my daily rhythms, my family’s gatherings, and the way my culture continues to live through generations.

These items remind me that identity is not only found in grand monuments or historic landmarks, but also in the smallest details of everyday life.

By painting these items, I want to preserve the memory they hold and celebrate how something as simple as a household object can carry history, love, and culture within it. Together, they become more than tools of daily living; they are vessels of memory, symbols of connection, and fragments of home.