The Art of Customer Experience

VIB ends the year with a special gift for its depositors, a collection called “A Hundred Rivers Flowing to the Sea”. This innovative project brings art into the customer experience. It expresses gratitude to customers through artistic artifacts, a collaboration between VIB and artist Bui Cong Khanh, featuring Minh Long porcelain.

Bui Cong Khanh, born in 1972, is a pioneer of conceptual art in Vietnam. Since the 1990s, he has gained international recognition for his installation and performance art, conveying values related to family and social perceptions. He has held numerous exhibitions in countries like Australia, the US, Thailand, and France. Recently, he was one of four Vietnamese artists participating in the PT11 – Asia Pacific Triennial at the Queensland Art Museum in Australia.

“A Hundred Rivers Flowing to the Sea” showcases a unique aspect of Bui Cong Khanh’s art, created in collaboration with VIB. Instead of installation art displayed in prestigious galleries, he crafted a limited-edition collection for VIB’s customers. The collection includes three pieces: “Gathering”, “Assembly”, and “Downstream.”

When Art Meets Finance

Art and finance seem like opposites. Art is fluid and subtle, while finance is dry, distinct, and certain. VIB, with its creative spirit, blends art into finance through the idea of cultural reunion, targeting the family-oriented values of East Asians.

The bank aims to offer more than just gratitude; these gifts are also artistic collectibles. VIB chose to collaborate with Bui Cong Khanh, a visual artist with a unique artistic vision. Growing up in a small village in Cam Thanh, Hoi An, the ancient town’s landmarks like the Phi Anh and Phi Yen theaters and the Diep Dong Nguyen ancient house inspired his creations. His works are considered to carry historical weight, cultural value, and the knowledge accumulated over decades of artistic exploration.

VIB believes that Bui Cong Khanh is the perfect choice to convey the message of conceptual art that the bank aims for. With over 30 years of experience, he has created hundreds of works subtly integrating messages about life and cultural values. His art embodies the creativity and precision that VIB values.

“The ‘A Hundred Rivers Flowing to the Sea’ art collection is VIB’s token of appreciation to our depositors this Lunar New Year. Created in collaboration with visual artist Bui Cong Khanh and Minh Long porcelain, the collection conveys wishes for unity and prosperity. It also showcases the subtle blend of art and finance, touching emotions, and focusing on customer experience,” shared Tu Vo, VIB’s Director of Marketing and Communications.

“I also strive to create a unique identity with simplicity and modernity. VIB and I found common ground in this regard,” shared artist Bui Cong Khanh.

For the 52-year-old artist, with over 30 years of dedication to his craft and collaborations with major brands like Dior, this is his first partnership with a financial institution. He believes that VIB’s initiative demonstrates the bank’s open and humane vision and is an excellent way to bring contemporary art closer to the public, who will directly own these gifts.

“It’s indeed a pleasant surprise that a domestic bank values contemporary art. It’s a positive sign,” expressed Bui Cong Khanh.

VIB also fostered creativity in its collaboration with Bui Cong Khanh and Minh Long porcelain. The bank set three criteria: subtlety, minimalism and modernity, and conveying profound messages about family and social connections.

VIB shared that all parties shared a common vision for this project. From the initial idea provided by the bank, the artist quickly materialized it during the material and color selection process. Additionally, Minh Long’s sustainable development message and cultural values enhanced the project.

Minh Long utilized a special type of porcelain with a natural bright white color, durability, and the ability to reproduce every design detail. The most significant difference lies in their unique printing and manufacturing technology, ensuring that each detail is vividly and vividly depicted with depth and dynamism.

The porcelain’s surface underwent multiple treatments, from high-temperature firing for hardness and transparency to a glossy glaze coating for protection and long-lasting aesthetic value.

These elements enhance VIB and Bui Cong Khanh’s artistic vision, resulting in a valuable, aesthetic, and luxurious product.

Inspired by Reunion

“A Hundred Rivers Flowing to the Sea” comprises three pieces: “Downstream,” “Assembly,” and “Gathering.” During the creative process, Bui Cong Khanh used the image of tributaries flowing into the sea. The collection portrays Eastern culture through the symbol of rivers, blended with a modern, subtle, and minimalist design style.

For Bui Cong Khanh, “A Hundred Rivers Flowing to the Sea” is a special collection where he expresses changes in his artistic perspective and inspiration.

Two years after the COVID-19 pandemic, the artist began a journey to rediscover deep values within his soul. As a result, he found a connection with his loved ones and family through “understanding” and “empathy.” He dedicated more time to self-reflection and listening to his body.

“I thought about the flow of rivers, all leading to the sea. Just like people who, no matter how far they wander, ultimately long to return to their homeland and roots,” he said.

According to him, “A Hundred Rivers Flowing to the Sea” represents the spirit of reunion in East Asian culture. The small rivers flowing into the larger river, often called the main river, symbolize the figure of a mother, a vital model of a family where children, no matter how far they roam, will eventually return.

“From this idea, I chose free-flowing lines and a dominant blue palette to express my style—minimalist yet meaningful,” affirmed the artist.

From VIB’s perspective, while Vietnamese people save money for various reasons, their ultimate goal is to build a solid and prosperous future for their families. Understanding this core insight, VIB and Bui Cong Khanh found common ground. With the message of reunion woven into every detail, the “A Hundred Rivers Flowing to the Sea” gift collection is VIB’s way of expressing gratitude to its customers for their trust and patronage.

When VIB received the sketches from Bui Cong Khanh, they felt he had truly brought their idea to life. Each piece blends Eastern culture with artistic innovation. The artist’s signature accompanies every gift, adding exclusivity and enhancing their collectability for VIB’s depositors.

VIB presents these gifts to its depositors through the program “A Fulfilling Tet – Gifts as Desired”. Specifically, the piece “Downstream” is offered to customers with deposits ranging from VND 300 million to under VND 2 billion or an average balance in their payment account (current account) from VND 300 million to under VND 1 billion.

“Assembly” is for deposits ranging from VND 2 billion to under VND 5 billion or an average balance in the payment account from VND 1 billion to under VND 2.5 billion. For deposits of VND 5 billion or an average balance in the payment account of VND 2.5 billion and above, the customer will receive the piece “Gathering.”

VIB also includes a special seed paper card with each gift, bearing New Year wishes. More than just a greeting, when planted and cared for, the card will sprout. This seed paper card symbolizes rebirth and sustainable development, conveying VIB’s message: “Every small stream today will flow into the vast sea, bringing a prosperous future and a fresh start.”

For the artist, born in 1972, collaborating with leading organizations like VIB is a way to expand the influence of contemporary art. Art need not be confined to galleries; it can be integrated into various fields.

“I hope these pieces will be well-received because, within these gifts, lies an intriguing story,” he confided.