Catalogs of Historic Poster Art in Vietnam

From: David Biggs

Date: Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 12:10 AM

Dear List-

I'm in search of some historic poster art from the Mekong Delta that might look nice as a book cover. I wonder if anyone knows of agencies , museums or shops that have a catalogue of images from which I might browse and get a legal, usable copy?

- David Biggs

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From: Hue-Tam Ho Tai

Date: Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 3:29 AM

Dear David:

Do you know the site Belle Indochine? There may be something of interest to you on it.

Glad you're in Vietnam and able to post! I'm putting you down as presenting a paper on : "Phu Bai airport in the 1960s: public and secret uses of air-space" unless you have a better title.An abstract is not necessary yet.

We enjoyed having the children very much. We'll look forward to another visit!

Best,

Hue-Tam

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From: Hue-Tam Ho Tai

Date: Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 3:37 AM

Apologies for sending a message to David Biggs to the whole membership!

Hue-Tam Ho Tai

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From: Daniel C. Tsang

Date: Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 11:19 AM

David: Do you mean propaganda posters? Two books on Vietnam poster art might be starting points...

Being processed at UCI:

Author: Heather, D. J. (David J.)

Title: Vietnam posters : the David Heather collection / David Heather, Sherry Buchanan

Published: London [U.K.] : Prestel Pub., 2009

Description: 281 p. : col. ill. ; 25 cm

Subject - LCSH: Propaganda, Vietnamese -- Posters -- Catalogs

Vietnam -- History -- Posters -- Catalogs

Other author: Buchanan, Sherry

Note(s): Includes bibliographical references (p. 16-17)

ISBN: 9783791341576 (pbk.)

379134157X (pbk.)

Permanent Link to This Record

http://antpac:80/record=b3990127~S7

and:

Title: Tranh c̉ô đ̣ông Vịêt Nam 1945-2000 = Posters of Vietnamese painters from 1945 to 2000

Published: Hà Ṇôi : Ḅô văn hóa - thông tin, 2002

LOCATION CALL # STATUS

Langson Spec Collections SCZ-568 LIB USE ONLY

Description: 201 p. : chiefly ill. (some col.) ; 35 cm

Subject - LCSH: Posters, Vietnamese

Propaganda, Communist -- Vietnam -- Posters

Other author: Vietnam. Ḅô văn hóa và thông tin. Cục văn hóa thông tin cơ s̉ơ

Title: Posters of Vietnamese painters from 1945 to 2000

Note(s): At head of title: Ḅô văn hóa và thông tin, Cục văn hóa thông tin cơ s̉ơ

Introduction also in English

Library of congress call number: NC1807.V5 T73 2002

Permanent Link to This Record

http://antpac:80/record=b3156446~S7

--

Daniel C. Tsang

Social Science Data Librarian

Bibliographer for Asian American Studies, Economics, & Political Science

468 Langson Library

University of California, Irvine

PO Box 19557

Irvine CA 92623-9557

USA

1 949 824 4978 (Telephone)

1 949 824 0605 (Fax)

dtsang@uci.edu

My Subject Guides: http://libguides.lib.uci.edu/profile.php?uid=2616

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From: Oscar Salemink

Date: Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 3:39 PM

These days there are many (quasi-)artistic commercial outfits that sell propaganda posters. Try www.dogmavietnam.com. Their shop on Ton That Thiep street in Saigon Q1 is also called "Saigon Kitsch".

Reminds me of the "communism tours" that are on offer in Poland these days -- excellent combination of market and ideology, it would seem!

Oscar Salemink

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From: Nhu Miller

Date: Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 4:28 PM

When you go to Saigon Kitsch, look at the poster book there;

Dogma: Morale from the Ministry by Jonny Edbrooke, Robert Speechly, Lucy Forwood, and Dominic Scriven (Paperback - Dec 19, 2005) - Import

Amazon says it's no longer available, but I'll bet there are some copies at the store.

It's a great book!

T.T. Nhu

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From: Rob Hurle

Date: Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 6:43 PM

There is another book on propaganda posters:

Triều Văn Hiền, Trần Hải Nhị, Lê Thị Thúy Hoàn and Ngô Thị Ba

(Compilers). 9 Năm Kháng Chiến Qua Tranh Tuyên Truyền Cổ Động [9 years

of resistance war through propaganda paintings and posters],

Translated by Lê Thị Thúy Hoàn. Hà Nội: SAVINA for Bảo Tàng Cách Mạng

Việt Nam, 2007.

It may only be available through the Museum of the Revolution in Hanoi

as it has no price marked on it - 500 copies were printed. I also

have a private collection of posters, some of which are in this book.

David, if you are interested please contact me off-list.

Cheers,

Rob Hurle

-----------------------------

Rob Hurle

Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, ANU

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From: David Del Testa

Date: Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 7:25 PM

Another possibility, although a little harder to find:

Bernard De Hartingh, Viet Nam XX: Nghê thuat tao hinh va Nghê nhin tu 1925 den nay/Arts plastiques et visuales de 1926 à nos jours. Brussels: Encore Brussels, 1998.

Best wishes, David

David Del Testa, Ph.D.

Department of History

Bucknell University

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From: David Biggs

Date: Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 10:31 PM

Thanks All! I spent a rainy morning perusing the catalogues of Dogma and the poster shop at 25 Dong Khoi as well as most of the art books mention at 28 Dong Khoi (that is the hottest (temp) store on the whole strip!). For the few (if any) out there interested in my findings and opinion:

The artistic reproductions at Dogma are a little bit finer, though they are computer prints from scans I think. I don't know who owns the rights to the mass produced original screen prints, but I guess Dogma owns the rights to the digital scans? Since copyright's mostly a moot issue here I guess its OK. Anyways, 95% of the images involve huge quantities of red and typically feature individuals holding guns, machine tools, or babies. 28 Dong Khoi has some sloppy reproductions of a few historic watercolor artists from the 1960s and some painted reproductions of the original propaganda posters.

While sweating profusely in 28 DK, the friendly owner showed me some of the art books - and I discovered a few artists - Thai Ha (Nguyen Nhu Huan) - and Phan Phuong Truc - who produced images that involved landscapes as well as human subjects.

The search continues...and I did find some images from belleindochine.free.fr postcards, but nothing in any vivid colors for a book cover.

- David

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From: Hue-Tam Ho Tai

Date: Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 11:06 PM

I should read your ms before proposing possible covers. I'm under the impression that the book covers the colonial period onward? I thought some of the "affiches" included in Belle Indochine might suit, except that they emphasize Indochine more than you might want.

http://belleindochine.free.fr/affiche.htm

Another possibility would be to use a photograph, of which I think you may have plenty.

Ed and I visited Dogma a few years ago and came away with posters of LBJ, and so on. I believe the owner is Dominic Scriven; I have no idea about copyrights. The materials on Belle Indochine is mostly from the French Archives which charge an arm and a leg for copyrights permission Just be warned in case you want to use any of their stuff.

Best,

Hue-Tam

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