Flowers in The Little Village

Làng Nhỏ may be an unfamiliar name to many, but it is well-known among architects. In 2022, right after COVID, we had the opportunity to co-organize Marchifest here – a stunning 165-hectare “village” in Diên Khánh, Khánh Hòa. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it that time; only my husband and the team flew out.

This year, thanks to bác San, the “village chief,” who generously sponsored an incredible retreat, I finally got to visit. Wandering through his village, I picked a single dahlia (he mostly grows daisies) and some wildflowers, borrowed a water jug from the reception, and just like that – I had my painting subject.

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At 4 PM, just as the sun was about to set, I suddenly felt the urge to paint. Sitting on the balcony of the bungalow by the lake, I painted, oblivious to the fact that mosquitoes were feasting on my forehead.

I hadn’t been painting for long when bác San called me down to join a floating feast on a raft – his version of “drifting with the river,” minus the head-shaving and lime-painting rituals. By the time we returned late at night, I was completely wasted, craving to paint but too drunk to lift a brush.

The next morning, in the crisp 17-degree air, I stepped out onto the balcony to continue painting. But as soon as the sun rose, it got too hot, so I dragged both the canvas and my makeshift flower arrangement out to the garden – and painted in my “natural state.” Still, I couldn’t finish in time; it was already time to leave.

Goodbye, bác San and Làng Nhỏ – until we meet again.