The project promotes contemporary design practice while sustaining traditional forms of art and craft practice in the wake of rapid development and global challenges in Vietnam and Australia. đây đó (here/there) opens up opportunities for cultural, economic and knowledge exchange between makers and designers from the two countries over a year-long period to present new art, craft and design. Four emerging craft and design artists from Vietnam have been mentored by Vietnamese and Australian mentors to develop their designs for international audiences and markets. Outcomes will be presented as part of Vietnam Design Week and the Vietnam Festival of Creativity and Design (VFCD) 2022.

The project is a continuation of Skilled Hands, Shared Culture, a cross-cultural exhibition hosted by RMIT Gallery in 2020 that featured the work of 10 Australian and 10 Vietnamese artists, designers and craftspeople whose work explores the links between art-making and community.

đây đó (here/there) was officially launched as part of VFCD 2021 with a collaboration workshop between Phạm Phan Hoàng Linh from Rẻo (Vietnam) and The Social Studio (Australia), with mentorship from Thảo Vũ from Kilomet 109. The project is supported by the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, CAST (Contemporary Art and Social Transformation research group), RMIT University Vietnam, RMIT Gallery, Vietcraft, VICAS (Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Art Studies), Work Room Four and Vietnam Design Week.

Designers

Tom Trandt Minh Đạo Pham Hoang Linh Luu Nhu Ngoc Han Nha Dam

Mentors

Dale Hardiman Dewi Cooke Dương Nguyễn James Bartle Jennifer Conroy-Smith Le Ba Ngoc Ronnie Lacham Thao Vu

Website design

Public Office

Videography

Khỏi Nguyễn and Ari Sharp

Project coordinators

Grace McQuilten, Ha Nguyen, Thao Nguyen, Rimi Khan, Rebecca Lu, Tammy Wong-Hulbert

Project support

Sarah Werkmeister, Uyen Bui (translator), Le Chau Phuong Lien (translator), Ronny Andrade