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Tuesday, October 14, 2025
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Young Lao Artists Share Stories of Life and Dreams at Art Week 2025

This Week

Vientiane is hosting its biggest annual art event, Lao Art Week 2025, from 10 to 19 October under the theme “Motion.” More than 100 Lao artists are taking part, presenting their work at 12 different locations across the city.

The event, organized by the XYZ Art Center as part of its third annual gallery program, aims to support Lao artists and give them space to share their ideas with the public.

Artworks are displayed at several venues, including the Lao National Museum, Lao Textile Museum, Mulberries Vientiane, T’shop Lai Gallery, Lao National Culture Hall, Lao National Puppet Theater, Barn Saylom Loft Apartment, La Porte Rouge, University of Health Sciences, Parkson, Le Padaek, and I:cat Gallery.

Each location highlights a different artistic style, including textile art at the Lao National Museum, traditional indigo dyeing at the Lao Textile Museum, and contemporary street art at Barn Saylom Loft Apartment.

Full details, including opening hours and entrance fees, are available online.

Finding Light and Peace in the Night Sky

Among the artists is 28-year-old Phounsouk Samounty, known as Pik, whose acrylic paintings fill the exhibition hall with color and emotion. Her series, which she calls Character Art, includes four works that express her views on life through the image of the night sky.

Phounsouk Samounty, ‘Pik’, a young Lao artist.

For Pik, the stars represent comfort and reflection. Her series, which includes Embrace the Star, Sweet Wishes, A Cup of Hope, and Bathed in Starlight connects human emotions with the calm of the night.

“The stars are like a place to stay. Embracing the stars is like embracing yourself. When you feel safe, you want to fall asleep and enter your dreams,” she said.

In Embrace the Star, she conveys a sense of peace and belonging, using the night sky as a symbol of rest and self-connection.

Her next piece, Sweet Wishes, continues that feeling. She described the stars as “like a prayer; when you look up at the sky, you want to ask for blessings. Maybe the little joys along the way are the discovery of new flavors.” 

The painting suggests that happiness often appears in small, quiet moments.

Pik’s four art painting in the theme “Finding Light and Peace in the Night Sky”

In A Cup of Hope, Pik compares the stars to guides that lead people through uncertainty. “Sipping the tea, floating in search of hope,” she said. 

“In the darkness, there is always light.” The painting reflects the comfort that comes from holding onto hope, like warming your hands around a cup on a cold night.

The final piece, Bathed in Starlight, brings the theme to a close. “The light of peace leads you to discover what you want. Let yourself be surrounded by cool water, immersing your body and mind in the world of dreams,” Pik shared.

Together, these four works explore peace, hope, and the ways people find light even in dark times. Pik’s art reminds viewers that comfort often starts within — in the small things we enjoy or moments that help us feel calm.

Shadow of the Field: Remembering Laos’ Land and Life

Another young artist, 26-year-old Soudalath Hansana, or Willy, reflects on Laos’ rural roots in his installation “Shadow of the Field”.

Willy said his work was inspired by childhood memories of living near rice fields. “I still remember the smell of the rice fields at night, the scent of the soil, and the sounds of animals. That richness is something I believe lives in the hearts of all Lao people.”

Shadow of the Field: Remembering Laos’ Land and Life by Soudalath Hansana, or Willy.

The installation uses paper, bamboo, and wire, all coated with reflective paint. The large rice grains represent both abundance and fragility, showing how the ecosystem depends on balance. 

“They represent the life cycle of animals like frogs, snakes, and grasshoppers, which all depend on the rice fields,” he explained. “At the same time, the work reflects our society, asking who truly gains from the system and who is left behind in the shadows.”

Blue lighting gives the piece a calm atmosphere, echoing the quiet of the rice fields at night. Willy said the installation took about a month to complete, including research and design. “This year was quite challenging,” he admitted. 

Soudalath Hansana, or Willy.

“I worked on three to four projects at the same time, all connected in some way. It took a lot of energy to make sure each piece communicated clearly with the audience.”

He hopes his work will remind people of the deeper meaning of art. “Art is not only about beauty, it’s about ideas, imagination, and truth. Art can connect people and help us understand the world better. I hope everyone uses art to create a better and kinder world.”

Through the works of artists like Pik and Willy, Lao Art Week 2025 shows how art continues to grow as a form of expression for young creators in Laos.

Voice from Visitors

The art gallery has gathered people from around Vientiane to experience artworks that stand tall, waiting for audiences to appreciate their creators’ expressions. One of them is a university student, Natthaxa Khodsimeuang, who shared that she enjoyed the art for its different styles from various artists.

“The art shows meanings that I’ve never seen before; each of them is different,” she emphasized.

Somphong, another man from Vientiane Province who came to visit the gallery, noted that he has a strong interest in art, which is why he purposely decided to come.

“Each piece of art has its own story behind it. They carry importance and express emotions in a unique way,” he said.

Lao Art Week 2025 not only highlights artistic talent but also promotes connection, inspiration, and understanding, showing that art in Laos continues to thrive as a meaningful and evolving form of cultural expression.

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