Ly thi Thanh Thao
Biography
Thanh Thao is a Vietnamese name that means “green grass in the royal garden”. Her name foretells that she is going to be surrounded with beautiful things in life.
Born in Phan Thiet, a Vietnamese city by the sea, she attended “Couvent des Oiseaux”, one of the most prestigious French colleges in Vietnam, and got a degree in English and American Literature at Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences & Humanities, where she has learned to cultivate love and appreciation for Western art and culture.
She fluently speaks Vietnamese, Italian, English and French.
Married to her pen-pal Sergio Mandelli, she moved to Italy in the 80s, where she has remained fascinated by the artistic patrimony of Italy, the most beautiful country in the world, according to her. Since then, she has never stopped conducting an in-depth study in history of art and in various artistic languages.
An artistic journey
In the 1990s, she started her journey in the contemporary art world by collaborating with a gallery in Milan. At the beginning of the 2000, she joined her husband in the project Mandelli Arte, of which she is partner. She has participated in numerous art fairs in Italy and abroad, and organized public and private exhibitions.
What she loves most about her job are studio visits. There she has often experienced a sense of wonder.
She is currently responsible for the English version of the video series titled “Pralines. Deliciousness from the world of art” to promote emerging and established artists. She firmly believes that we can exist without art, but we can’t live without art. Art alone can make a difference.
Last but not least, she took part in two international women’s associations whose missions are to promote friendship among women all over the world and to help people in need. She was National President of Ladies’ Circle Italy and International President of Agora Club International.