Art a la carte

      Situated on a small street of Ho Chi Minh City, the Overland Club has become a favorite stop for art lovers, where they can take classes in pottery, traditional Vietnamese folk music, cuisine, and even in making ao dai.
Having first come to Vietnam in 1995, Tomizawa Mamoru, a 40-year-old-Japanese-expat and potter, decided to restart his life after losing most of his possessions in the Kobe earthquake. After years of travelling, gaining life experience and working many odd jobs, from being a tourist guide to an apprentice in Bat Trang pottery village in northern Vietnam, Mamoru’s love for art and culture has matured.
In 2001, he founded his own cultural and art club named the Overland Club in a little corner on Huynh Khuong Ninh Street to satisfy his thirst to escape from the hubbub of the city into the sanctuary of art.
“On average, we have around 100 participants a month in various classes, with 90 percent of them foreigners and the rest Vietnamese. We have classes in all kinds of Asian cuisine, jewelry making and Vietnamese folk music, in addition to pottery classes and many others. I think these classes are exciting and help enhance creativity, especially in children,” says Mamoru.
Participants in pottery classes are allowed to make whatever they wish, including the beginners.
In the Vietnamese cooking classes, students learn how to prepare a three-course meal.
Mamoru’s goal is to organize free pottery classes for elementary school children, similar to what he did years ago with a small, disadvantaged school in HCMC’s District 3.
“At that time, I organized the classes by myself, and I really felt the joy of those kids. In Japan, pottery is considered an extracurricular activity for students to help stimulate their creative inspiration. Now I’m looking for sponsorship to open new classes for more schools in Vietnam,” said Mamoru.
Pottery and cooking classes are offered every day at the club. Just access www.overlandclub.jp or go to 36 Bis Huynh Khuong Ninh Street, Da Kao Ward, District 1 for details.