Category: SAIGON STREET ART

SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳 STREET ART: PROPAGANDA MURAL

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22may26

SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳 STREET ART: BLOOM by YESSIOW & STIJN

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📍 Co Giang

🇮🇩 Yessiow (born Yessi Nur Mulianawati) is an internationally recognized Indonesian mural artist and illustrator originally from Bali. Known for her bold, playful, and vibrant style, she uses her art to brighten public spaces and connect deeply with local communities around the world. 

🎨 In recognition of her impact on public art and community engagement, she was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia (Arts) list in 2024. 

🌴 Yessiow’s work is instantly recognizable for its distinct visual language, which blends her roots with contemporary street art:
Vibrant Tropical Palette: Growing up in Bali strongly influenced her use of bright, saturated colors and natural, organic shapes. 

💪 Representation and Diversity: Her murals frequently explore themes of women’s empowerment, body positivity, unity, and the celebration of diverse skin tones.

22may26

SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳: GOLD

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gold
Khăn rằn. The black and white checkered scarf. Originally worn by Mekong Delta farmers against sun and dust. Became the symbol of the southern resistance when Viet Cong guerrillas wore it as headwrap, face covering, and makeshift bag. During the war, wearing one was enough to get you questioned by soldiers. After 1975 it became a patriotic symbol. 🇻🇳
blue on blue
as you emerge from your accommodation in the morning, you are confronted with the realization that the day started much earlier for others
is this the same expression above as below?
you learn to lock your bag pockets and secure your bag to something sturdy when you travel off the beaten path. when i’m having a coffee and reading, it’s nice to know my bag is going to be difficult to snag…

May 2026

SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳 STREET ART: ART IS NOT A CRIME

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8may26

SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳: MAKES YOU WANT THINGS YOU FORGOT YOU NEEDED

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Andrew X. Pham (Catfish and Mandala):
“Saigon makes you want things you forgot you needed.”
Jean-Claude Pomonti (Un Vietnamien Bien Tranquille):
“Saigon is a woman who changes her dress but never her habits.”
Tim O’Brien (The Things They Carried):
“The war was over and there was no place in particular to go.”
Iconic Red Stool

May 2026

SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳 ARCHITECTURAL STORIES

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A strange red-paneled building by the wharf.
Saigon cosplaying modernism. Surely some kind of government building.

Ngân hàng Nhà nước Việt Nam – Chi nhánh TP.HCM

📍 Address: 8 Võ Văn Kiệt, District 1

Ho Chi Minh City branch of Vietnam’s central bank (the equivalent of:

  • the Federal Reserve in the U.S.
    dates back to the late French colonial period, most likely the 1930s.
    Original era (French Indochina – ~1930s)

The structure was built during the colonial period as part of the financial administration network tied to Banque de l’Indochine.

That bank wasn’t just any bank—it effectively acted as:

  • the central bank of French Indochina
A classic mid-century Vietnamese apartment / mixed-use block, probably dating from the 1960s–1970s.
possibly originally built for civil servants, workers, or urban middle-class residents during the late South Vietnam era
This is the LIM Tower 3, a modern office tower in District 1.
Classic modern Saigon development:
steel-and-glass office tower
wrapped in neo-classical styling

Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange — usually called HOSE.

Vietnam’s main stock exchange:

  • the financial heart of the country’s stock market
  • where many of Vietnam’s largest companies are listed
  • effectively the Vietnamese equivalent of:
  • the NYSE in New York
  • or the London Stock Exchange

Tube Houses and Shophouses

Historically, because buildings were taxed according to street frontage rather than total area, many shophouses are long and narrow in shape, similar to the vernacular “tube house.”

The earliest surviving shophouses in Saigon date to the 1860s. The most common design is the two-storey type, featuring a shop and storage on the ground floor and residential spaces above.

6may26

SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳 STREET ART: HELLO MY NAME…

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6may26

SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳 STREET ART: MIRROR

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Mirror
An abandoned area in Pham Ngu Lao Park. This was a mural on an old Cigar Lounge Wall
The iconic conical hat (Nón lá) on the head of this graff piece
Interesting scrawl on an electric ⚡️ box in Pham Ngu Lao Park

May 2026

SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳 STREET ART: VOLUNTEER SPRING

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Central Section (Yellow Text)

• CÔNG TRÌNH THANH NIÊN: Youth Project.

• CHÀO MỪNG ĐẠI HỘI ĐẠI BIỂU LIÊN HIỆP THANH NIÊN VIỆT NAM P. NGUYỄN CƯ TRINH: Welcoming the Delegate Congress of the Vietnam Youth Federation of Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward.

• NHIỆM KỲ 2024 – 2029: Term 2024 – 2029.

Right Section (Orange/Yellow Text)

• XUÂN TÌNH NGUYỆN: Volunteer Spring.

Contextual Details

The mural illustrates various community service and environmental themes:

• Environmental Action: The right side depicts youth planting a tree, accompanied by a map of Vietnam.

• Waste Management: The background section to the left shows figures sorting waste into green, yellow, and blue bins, similar to standard recycling initiatives in the city.

• Organization: The project is attributed to the Vietnam Youth Federation (the logo with the bird and V-shape is visible above the central text) in Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, which is a neighborhood in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

2may26

SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳 STREET ART: TAKING ACTION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

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The Main Mural Slogan (Right Side)

• NHÂN DÂN VÀ HỘI VIÊN PHỤ NỮ KHU PHỐ 3 HÀNH ĐỘNG VÌ MÔI TRƯỜNG: The people and members of the Women’s Union of Neighborhood 3 take action for the environment.

• XANH – SẠCH – ĐẸP: Green – Clean – Beautiful.

The Trash Bins (Lower Right)

The bins are labeled to encourage waste sorting:

• RÁC HỮU CƠ: Organic Waste (Green bin).

• RÁC VÔ CƠ: Inorganic Waste (Orange/Red bin).

• RÁC TÁI CHẾ: Recyclable Waste (Blue bin).

Propaganda Art

2may2026