Aside from monuments and other cultural manifestations, heritage can be understood as a conventional discourse about the past which finds place in a contemporary context and helps define a national identity. Historical narrative, folk practices and the arts are among a variety of ways to examine and represent Vietnamese heritage.

Through their practice, contemporary Vietnamese artists are asserting their identity beyond clichés. They are expressing and reflecting on their own heritage in original and personal ways, either through the content of their works or through the revitalization of traditional mediums. Honoring their heritage or interpreting it satirically, their art begins to establish a new vision of Vietnam, its culture, traditions and history in the context of the present. Confronting the past, present and future, these artists participate in redefining Vietnamese culture, both locally and to the outside world.

Salon Saigon wants to pay tribute to them by creating a permanent collection that will enrich one’s understanding of Vietnamese present and future heritage. Based on the idea of promoting Vietnamese culture through contemporary art production, this collection gathers works from the most locally and internationally recognized Vietnamese artists working today.

The Salon Saigon Private Collection is owned by John Tue Nguyen and has been curated by the French-Vietnamese artist Sandrine Llouquet. It includes artworks by Bùi Công Khánh, Tiffany Chung, Hà Mạnh Thắng, Hoàng Dương Cầm, Chinh Lê, Dinh Q. Lê, Lê Hoàng Bích Phượng, Lê Thừa Tiến, Lê Thúy, Nguyễn BanGa, Nguyễn Hữu Trâm Kha, Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng, Nguyễn Phương Linh, Oanh Phi Phi, The Propeller Group, Trần Trọng Vũ, Truc Anh, Trương Tiến Trà, Trương Tân and Võ Trân Châu while aiming to promote Vietnamese emerging artists as well.
The collection focuses on how artists put in perspective Vietnamese tradition and heritage with current issues.