‘Muted Conversations’ is an ongoing project by Đ ạt Vũ that explores the spirituality and superstitions surrounding rituals in Vietnam today. His photographic series includes both staged and candid images taken during his extensive travels across the country. These images reveal how local people, across diverse regions, perform rites and rituals in sacred spaces and in daily life; hinting at the subliminal differences between rural and urban life; between public and private space; between understanding ourselves as observers, voyeurs or provocateurs. This exhibition aims to address the significance of traditional cultural practices as Vietnam rapidly transitions into a new era of economic possibility. How do people adapt and incorporate these practices into different aspects of their life? What is their understanding towards the different system of beliefs and values that overlap with one another? And where do we find our identity in this flux of historical legacies and contemporary movements? While these questions refer to a collective mindset, the observations will be within Đạt’s personal context.
This exhibition is the first in the series of ‘Materialize’, a program that aims to provide exhibition opportunities for Vietnamese artists who have had little chance to create exhibitions of their art in Vietnam. Artists are challenged to extend their experimentation with concept and media beyond their training and general assumptions about art. This program is open for application to artists born and currently living in Vietnam and over the age of 25. Artists must submit specific information for consideration, which is assessed by an appointed jury. The next open call for applications takes place in December 2017.
