Vietnamese Heritage: Artist Pham Thanh Toan

During the week of 28 Sept – 3 Oct, UNIS Hanoi is honoured to host acclaimed Vietnamese artist Phạm Thanh Toàn in residence with our UNIS Hanoi Art Department.

Across the week, students understood the history of Sơn Mài lacquer, and explore Toan’s unique approach of mixing traditional Sơn Mài techniques with contemporary mixed media practice. Sơn Mài lacquer is built up from earth-derived and organic materials: natural tree resin, eggshell, gold leaf, sometimes even sand or mother-of-pearl. This residency connects craft with culture, design, and sustainability. Students will explore the history of Vietnamese lacquer, discuss the ethics of sourcing natural materials, and reflect on how artists innovate while honouring tradition. Middle and High School students will step into the studio with Toàn and learn through four strands of engagement:

• Mixed Media Lacquer Workshops
• Live Studio Art-Making
• Wellness and Reflection
• Student Exhibition (3 Oct)

During the Student Exhibition on 3 October, we unveiled the resulting pieces in the lobby of B10, showcasing what our students have created under his mentorship. Elementary students will also have the opportunity to visit the lacquer workspace, interact with the artist, and enjoy a visit to the final exhibition.

Phạm Thanh Toàn is among Vietnam’s rising voices in contemporary art. Born in Quảng Bình in 1992, Toàn trained in traditional lacquer techniques but pushes beyond them working with both lacquer and oil, often on large canvases that command presence. His style is described as “ngông và sâu”, meaning rebellious yet profound, and merges visceral expression with intentional design. His works are collected internationally and speak to both heritage and innovation.

Toàn’s work has been exhibited widely in Vietnam and abroad. In Hồ Chí Minh City, his solo show “King” at Craig Thomas Gallery drew attention for its monumental scale and bold treatment of human figures. He has also shown work in group and solo exhibitions in Hanoi and Seoul, and his paintings are held in private collections across the United States, Germany, South Korea, and Australia. His reputation continues to grow as part of a new generation of Vietnamese artists bringing traditional lacquer into global contemporary dialogue.

This residency was envisioned and presented by our MSHS Visual Arts faculty, Nora Graham, Bill Vaughan, Jesse Bradley and Sayoko Oda, who championed the idea of bringing this Vietnamese artist into our classrooms. Thanks to their initiative, and the generosity of our community through Greatest Needs Annual Giving, UNIS Hanoi is able to fund the Experts in Residence programme, connecting students with artists, authors, entrepreneurs, innovators, and thought leaders from around the world. Our gratitude goes to every donor whose contributions make this possible. Together with our teachers’ vision, your support enriches learning with authentic, real-world connections and deepens appreciation for Vietnamese heritage.

In Phạm Thanh Toàn’s workshops, students handle the very stuff of the Earth, such as lacquer tapped from trees, eggshell fragments, or metallic leaf and reflect on how art depends on what the natural world provides. His practice will challenge students to examine how materials are sourced, how resources are used, and how tradition teaches respect for what is finite. Just weeks later, those same questions will resonate on a planetary scale when Luke Jerram’s Gaia arrives at UNIS Hanoi. If Toàn’s residency brings students close to the Earth’s materials, Gaia invites them to step back and see the Earth as a whole:  fragile, luminous, and shared. Together, these residencies frame sustainability as both a local practice and a global responsibility, reminding our students that the choices we make, whether in art or in life, connect us all.