Our Team
Artist/Educator THANH BUI
WHEN PASSION FOR ART FLOURISHES WITH THE DESIRE TO NURTURE VIETNAMESE CULTURAL ESSENCE
Vietnamese audiences commonly associate the name Thanh Bui with a talented and passionate international artist who has produced several popular hits both in Vietnam and around the world. However, his contributions go beyond just his success as an artist. With a passionate soul for art, he always worries about the mission of preserving and nurturing Vietnamese talents, and the desire to introduce Vietnamese youth to a modern education system while still preserving their unique cultural identity. These efforts have been crystallized through his brainchild, Embassy Education – an ecosystem with more than 30 organizations that have a broad vision and steadfast passion imbued with the spirit of Vietnam. After many years of operation, 2023 marks the official launch of the Vietnam Contemporary Visual Arts Academy (VCVAA), a member unit established with the goal of training and developing young talents, contributing to shaping the future of visual arts in Vietnam.
CONQUERING THE PEAK OF MUSIC: A JOURNEY FULL OF COURAGE
In 2004, Thanh Bui laid the first bricks in his music career and quickly left a deep impression on audiences throughout Asia. Continuing to strive for breakthroughs, he reached the Top 8 of Australian Idol in 2008, opening up a new chapter for his artistic journey. With a dream to reach the international stage, he has collaborated with many artists from all over the world such as RedOne (Lady Gaga, Enrique Iglesias), Wayne Hector (Britney Spears, One Direction, Nicki Minaj), Thai star Tata Young with the hit “Where Do We Go”, or BTS with “Danger”,… These achievements are the clearest evidence of his perseverance, dedication, and passion for art.
VISION FOR ART, FOR VIETNAM
In addition to his success in the arts, artist Thanh Bui has also made an impression on the public as a passionate educator.
Since 2012, he has tirelessly pursued a creative education journey through exemplary projects such as the Soul Music & Performing Arts Academy (SMPAA), the non-governmental organization AMPA Education, the Trinh Cong Son Scholarship, and more. With an unwavering determination, he became the only Vietnamese recipient, and one of ten individuals awarded the Eisenhower Fellowship leadership scholarship. In 2018, he founded the Embassy Education, collaborating with leading educational organizations globally, and successfully introduced the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education in Vietnam.
With the latest addition of VCVAA – the Vietnam Contemporary Visual Arts Academy, the Embassy Education has officially marked the final step in building its complete creative education ecosystem.
Not limited to providing extracurricular teaching programs, VCVAA is positioned as an inspiring art space, nurturing a generation of global citizens with creative thinking, independent innovation abilities, and strong awareness of their own values. With a broad vision, VCVAA is currently working alongside Embassy Education in realizing its core mission and contributing to laying the foundation for a prosperous and internationally integrated Vietnam.
With a focus on the philosophy of developing children’s artistic abilities, artist Thanh Bui and his spiritual child, VCVAA, continue to dedicate themselves to a Vietnam full of creative potential, a dream of making the country a developed, cultured, and richly distinctive nation. Thanh Bui’s resolute and passionate steps have ignited a flame of passion in many young Vietnamese generations and promise to continue as an endless source of motivation for new seeds in pursuing their dreams.
ACADEMIC CONSULTANT NGUYEN MINH NAM
THE JOURNEY OF CREATING BRILLIANT PAINTINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY
You may not be aware that Mr. Nguyen Minh Nam, the Academic Consultant of the Vietnam Contemporary Visual Arts Academy (VCVAA), is not only an art instructor but also dedicated to serving the community through non-profit initiatives that bring significant humanistic value.
DEDICATION TO ART EDUCATION
Having graduated in the field of Architectural Design from Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture, Mr. Nam previously worked as a Coordinator for the School Engagement Program at the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Vietnam. Over time, his passion for art education drove him to delve deeper into this exciting field.
The moment he realized his passion for education marked a significant milestone in his artistic career. Despite graduating in architecture, he pursued a Master’s in Education, majoring in Integrated Arts and K-12 Art Education Certification at Plymouth State University, USA, with a Fulbright scholarship from the US government in 2021-2022.
ASPIRATION TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY
With his love and passion for art, Mr. Nam and his colleagues have founded several non-profit projects to spread the idea of integrating art into children’s education, a field that is still unfamiliar to many Vietnamese people. Prominent projects such as “Vẽ Voi” (Drawing Elephants), “Diều Ngược Gió” (Kite against the Wind), and “Nguệch Ngoạc” (Twist and Turn) (co-organized with Beautiful Mind Vietnam) not only have a significant impact on bringing art education closer to Vietnamese people’s lives but also open up the future for many disadvantaged Vietnamese children.
For him, art is not just about colors or strokes but also a mirror reflecting the character of young souls. Art is not only about enjoying beauty but also about integrating it into real life, perceiving the world through a prism of aesthetics, and learning to empathize and express oneself more clearly. With this perspective, Mr. Nam has become an art instructor and mentor for many projects and organizations such as Vietseeds Foundation, From I To Others, and Beautiful Mind Vietnam. He also participates in and co-coordinates workshops as part of the TIGER Theatre Company project, teaching children from many states in the US about school violence issues through the art of theater.
Throughout his journey, Mr. Nam has proven that art has never been a form of creativity that is difficult to access, but rather an inseparable aspect of each person’s spiritual life. It is a lens that helps us to fully appreciate the beauty of life, a space for us to express our deepest thoughts in our hearts. His humanitarian projects are threads that help firmly connect all individuals who are passionate about art together, creating a cultured artistic community, a diverse and inspiring world full of aesthetic colors.
lilly wong
ACADEMIC CONSULTANT
The inspirational artistic journey of Lilly Wong is not merely about creativity but also an adventure transcending all boundaries of past, present, and future, where the beauty, culture, and soul of humanity blend seamlessly and harmoniously. Founding Kiiro in 2020 – a fashion brand intertwining art and lifestyle – has marked a new chapter in Lilly’s career, showcasing her resilience and creativity on the path of developing her style and artistic practice.
BRINGING TRADITIONAL HERITAGE INTO ART AND CULTURE
Lilly Wong is a British fashion designer and artist whose journey can be likened to a tapestry woven from the threads of British, Vietnamese, and Chinese cultural essence. With an Honors Bachelor’s degree in Material Design from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London (UAL), Lilly embarked on a creative journey spanning over two decades, traversing various unique artistic fields from fashion and art consulting to photography and art education.
Lilly’s artistic style is built and developed through a delicate blend of minimalism, iconography, and modernism, inspired by the wild beauty of nature. For Lilly, the timeless lines and patterns from traditional kimono motifs serve as inspiration to create unique pieces where she indulges in her passion, exploring and applying the beauty of culture into the practicality of each artwork.
In 2020, she initiated her fashion business venture under the name Kiiro, a brand purely dedicated to art and lifestyle, revolving around the timeless allure of saffron. Currently, she continues her personal journey as an artist, designer, and producer, independently managing her Kiiro brand.
RUAIRI FALLON
EDUCATIONAL PARTNER
After successfully completing the FdA Illustration course at Camberwell College of Arts, a part of the University of the Arts London (UAL), Ruairi Fallon furthered his expertise by pursuing a BA in Illustration. His passion for handcrafted art combined with the creative environment of the institution aided him in exploring and developing various skills to discover his own artistic style
THE JOURNEY OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPING ARTISTIC STYLE.
Ruairi Fallon Mc Guigan is an artist born in Belfast, who moved to London in 2011 to pursue the University Preparatory Program at Camberwell College of Arts and graduated with First Class Honors in Illustration. Currently based in Vietnam, Ruairi lives, works, and engages in artistic activities with a focus on exploring social-political themes revolving around heritage, personal memories, communities, housing, and family life. Ruairi expresses various artistic themes through diverse contemporary art forms such as painting, printmaking, and sculpture.
Ruairi’s artworks, including paintings, prints, and subjects, blend memories, architecture, family life, and culture harmoniously. Each piece is a unique variation to convey profound insights into the intersection of politics, culture, and family alongside the artist’s identity in art.
In the journey of exploring and expressing his artistic style, Ruairi successfully organized his first solo exhibition titled “A fork in the road” in October 2020. Ruairi was honored to receive the New Artist Award from the Jackson Painting Awards in 2018. Additionally, his wood carvings and prints were selected for display at the Royal Academy’s summer exhibition in 2018. Ruairi is one of the three members of F.A.F, creating large-scale installation artworks tailored to specific locations, and is also an active member of CRIT CLUB – a community of artists organizing seminars and critiques to support artists in pursuing and developing their art.
tony wynyard
INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC PARTNER - UALSC
“The short-term training program of the University of the Arts London is delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with the Vietnam Contemporary Visual Arts Academy (VCVAA). We deeply admire the values that VCVAA is striving to achieve, and we are also very empathetic towards your mission. We understand the power of arts education, how it transforms people’s lives by helping them improve their spirits, enhance their skills, and create more job opportunities.
In Vietnam, VCVAA is known as one of the leading pioneering organizations in providing visual arts education. Therefore, we are excited to bring our teaching methods to VCVAA and become a part of this educational journey. VCVAA has also actively reached out, expressing their desire for us to use our skills and expertise to accompany them on this journey.”
– UALSC Head of Product and Planning –
