Art that draws you inward
At Anima Saigon Hotel – an art hotel in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1 – every floor holds a story told through contemporary Vietnamese art. Among the artists who shape this atmosphere, one stands out for his intricate worlds of myth, geometry, and subconscious journeys: Tuyp Tran. His works invite you to step closer, lose yourself in the details, and perhaps, find something within yourself along the way.
From design to mandalas and myth
Born in 1988, Tuyp first made his mark in Vietnam’s creative scene as a designer before turning fully to painting over a decade ago. His art is instantly recognizable: bold watercolors on traditional Dzo paper, layered with geometric precision and dream-like figures.
Drawing from both East and West, his works weave together Tibetan Buddhist mandalas, European gnostic symbols, and Vietnamese folk traditions. The result is a kind of mandala art from Vietnam that feels timeless and borderless: at once ancient and modern, spiritual and psychological.
Once Upon a Time – the cycle of life
One series displayed at Anima, Once Upon a Time, explores life, death, and rebirth through mandalas and sacred imagery. In Samsara (2024), concentric circles frame countless smaller squares, where semi-abstract human figures move in a dance of color. The effect is meditative, pulling the viewer into the idea of a universal soul, the cycle of reincarnation, and the patterns that repeat across all lives.
Another piece, Dragon & Phoenix (2024), speaks directly to Vietnamese mythology. The painting references temple architecture and mythical guardians, yet Tuyp transforms these symbols: dragons and phoenixes take human shape, while at the bottom of the canvas, dancers appear beneath the sea. It’s both familiar and disorienting, echoing the subconscious energies that ripple beneath daily life.
Shedding Skin – the mystery of transformation
Tuyp’s Lột Xác (Shedding Skin) series is even more enigmatic. Swirling, interlocking forms suggest transformation without ever resolving into a clear image. The title recalls the snake’s renewal, but in Tuyp’s hands it becomes a metaphor for the soul’s passage from one life to another – an echo of the samsara cycle seen in his earlier works.
These paintings are less about clear answers and more about what emerges as you look: patterns half-formed, meanings half-seen, shifting like dreams.
Art as part of the Anima journey
Tuyp Tran’s works are displayed throughout the hotel, part of a collection that also features Bach Vu, Quoc An Le, Pham Cong Xeen, Mzung Nguyen, Dang Quang Tien, and Le Phi Long. Together, they define the spirit of Anima: a boutique hotel in Saigon’s creative district where contemporary Vietnamese art is not decoration, but dialogue.
To walk the corridors of Anima is to step into these artists’ worlds – mandalas, myths, and subconscious echoes – and to let your own imagination respond. Tuyp’s art doesn’t simply hang on the wall; it breathes, it shifts, it draws you inward.
At Anima, Tuyp Tran’s works are more than art on the wall – they are part of the journey each guest takes. Mandalas, myths, and subconscious echoes accompany you through the corridors and into the rooms, shaping an atmosphere that is deeply personal and quietly transformative.Staying at Anima Saigon Hotel – a boutique art hotel in Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City – means living among these stories every day. Each floor reveals new layers of Vietnam’s contemporary art scene, from Tuyp Tran’s intricate worlds to works by Bach Vu, Quoc An Le, and more.
📍 Anima Saigon Hotel
Discover Vietnamese contemporary art and let your Anima guide you.
