Posted Monday, November 15, 2004; 21:00 HKT
There's an old Vietnamese proverb: "If you want to make money, go south. If you want to be an artist, stay in Hanoi." These days, the two aren't mutually exclusive. Hanoi's artistic reputation goes back to imperial times, but modern-day dilettantes have been flocking here since Vietnam opened up to foreign buyers. Mick Jagger recently browsed one of Hanoi's 250-plus galleries, as did Bill Clinton during his 2000 visit. A decade ago, painters could barely get $100 for a piece. Today, pictures sell for up to $30,000 each—a sum that encourages would-be artists like Nguyen Tuan Cuong, 41, a student at Hanoi Fine Arts College. "It's a great time for artists in Hanoi now," he says. Foreign painters are also lured by the city's visual charm and cheap living. American artist Bradford Edwards, who keeps a home in Hanoi, loves the easygoing atmosphere, evoking bygone Montmartre or Greenwich Village. "You can drop in at artists' homes for tea," Edwards says. "So few art scenes still have that sense of community."

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