Nguyễn Khánh Chi

LÀO CAI — As Sa Pa enters a beautiful season upon the mountain and down the hill, a newly-opened art exhibition invites visitors to step into the world of contemporary Vietnamese art, offering diverse artistic perspectives that go beyond any specific landscape origin.

Running through October 25, Upon the Mountain, Down the Hill is presented as part of Heritage Days 2026 at Hotel de la Coupole Sapa – MGallery Collection, celebrating the dialogue between heritage and contemporary creativity through art and culture.

Presented in collaboration with Hanoi Studio Gallery, it brings together 28 paintings and sculptures by five contemporary Vietnamese artists Phạm Thái Bình, Nguyễn Ngọc Thanh, Nguyễn Quốc Trung, Phạm Trà My, and Phạm Thủy Tiên whose works offer distinct perspectives on landscape, nature and the relationship between people and place.

“We are inspired by the spirit of the Heritage Days, so the idea of opening the doors to these historic places that are usually not accessible to the public, and inviting everybody to step into the space to find out the stories, the art, and hidden treasures of the place,” Acting General Manager of Hotel de la Coupole, Alice Park, told visitors at the opening on September 25.

“We believe heritage is found not just in architecture, but through the art, mastery, and the details that give the place its soul. What makes this moment even more meaningful is this place used to be an abandoned place. But today it has been given a new life through the art, imagination, and thoughtful curation.

“We have not tried to erase the past, but we keep and cherish the traces and allow them to become the part of something new.

“So, this space now has transformed into a gallery, a very vibrant one. And with this exhibition today, I hope you will feel how the emotion and Vietnamese daily traditions and memory come together here in the heart of Sa Pa,” said Park.

Hoàng Nghĩa Hoàng, a representative from Hanoi Studio Gallery, shared about the inspiration behind the exhibition.

“When we first began conceiving this exhibition, we didn't want to tell an overly grand story about heritage. We wanted to start with things close at hand: a mountainside, a rolling hill, the colors of autumn, a story, a landscape, or sometimes simply a fleeting memory.”

“Up the Mountain, Down the Hill is a place that five artists meet to share their stories, their interpretations. Their story is not only about the scenic, about the nature, but also about the human, the normal life which been described, which been interpreted and translated through the language of art,” said Hoàng.

A true confluence of heritages

Moving between paintings and sculptures, traditional materials and contemporary expressions, the exhibition looks beyond landscape as scenery, exploring it instead as a place shaped by memory, culture, emotion and human presence. 

“The selected artworks can be either newly created or older pieces, but they must harmonise and enter into dialogue with one another,” said Dương Thu Hằng, founder of Hanoi Studio Gallery. “They must resonate with the spirit of the hotel's new heritage, the heritage of this highland land, and the national heritage of Việt Nam itself.”

“Here, two female artists work with lacquer, and their visual stories are captivating—conveying a sensory state, a co-present space of foliage and blossoms. You see trees, flowers, and even fish swimming gracefully within such an environment. Just over there is another dreamlike, ethereal space created by another young female artist Phạm Thủy Tiên, also using lacquer. We deliberately chose lacquer because it interacts seamlessly with other media, standing as a true national heritage.”

“And then there are the Mông people, the true children of the mountains. That was my very first choice when conceptualising this Sa Pa exhibition. It belongs right here in this land and must be rooted here,” Hằng added, introducing a trio of sculptures depicting young Mông couples riding together on bicycles, crafted from bronze-plated aluminum by artist Phạm Thái Bình.

“When we thought about this land, we wanted to convey something that encompasses every dimension of heritage, from raw materials to cultural narratives, while remaining intimately accessible to a global audience. Sa Pa is a destination for travelers from across the world, so visitors must be able to experience the allure, richness, and vibrancy of Vietnamese art. The exhibition feels complete and harmonious within such a magnificent, heritage-inspired architectural setting, a true confluence of heritages,” Hằng said.

“The exhibition title originated directly from this locale. It captures the very essence of Sa Pa: ascending and descending steps, the stepped tiers of the terraced fields, the contours of the mountains, and the tiered architectural steps within this very hotel. That rhythm offered profound inspiration for naming this exhibition.”

With six sculptures crafted from bronze-plated aluminum and painted fiberglass on display, Phạm Thái Bình said that although he does not belong to an ethnic group himself, having been born and raised in northern Việt Nam’s mountainous region allows him to genuinely understand the beauty, vitality, and spirit of highland communities.

"Despite facing many hardships in daily life, the people's inner vitality rises above their adversity," Bình said. "Hardship is merely a circumstance—they do not dwell on it as an obstacle. What fuels that abundant energy is living closer to nature, with deeper affection, sincere warmth, and heartfelt emotion."

"I have always been drawn to the image of young ethnic men and boys across families in the northern highlands," he added. "For ethnic communities here, happiness often springs from the simplest, most unassuming things: the joy of giving a girlfriend a ride on a bicycle, sharing quiet conversations, or cuddling a pet while laughing with friends. It is thoroughly grounded in everyday life. It is as simple as that." VNS