In the eyes of Natalia Kraevskaia, a Russian woman who married a Vietnamese man, Hanoi is a beautiful, peaceful city that is worth her passionate devotion to the art gallery over the years.
Natalia, often called Natasha, lives in a pink house christened “Salon Natasha” on Hang Bong Street in the centre of the capital. The building also functions as an art gallery that has been famous in local circles for over two decades.
After marrying Vietnamese painter Vu Dan Tan she transformed her house into a cultural space for displaying the works of art in the hope of encouraging and motivating talented young artists.
Salon Natasha is the first private gallery of this kind, she says with pride.
In the early 1990s, State-owned galleries primarily used to exhibit works in a classical style. As an independent private gallery, Salon Natasha is focused on innovative styles and works by emerging young artists.
Ancient, romantic, and dynamic are three words Natasha uses to describe Hanoi, the city she fell in love with nearly 30 years ago.
Her marriage has allowed her to immerse herself in and adjust herself to Hanoi’s lifestyle. Natasha’s knowledge of the local interpretations of the art of drinking tea has even earned her the praise of her husband’s family.
Natasha is involved in many projects that have made enormous contributions to the development of art in Hanoi. Among them is a photography book by a group of young artists conducting a social survey on the future of the capital, and three separate exhibitions on Hanoi’s millennial anniversary displaying the beauty of the city through different stages of development.
She has recently built another gallery like Salon Natasha in Finland to introduce Vietnam’s traditional culture through tea and wine drinking.
Although Hanoi is fast changing with its bustling streets, visitors can still enjoy the feel of its peace and romance inside Salon Natasha.
Natasha is always ready to help talented young artists pursue their career.
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