“Existing online to an online community. But now we’re trying to produce a physical entity for it, a network of people sharing events.”
Proactive audience network – a creative community in Hanoi
For many years a community of artists in Vietnam’s capital city have existed online. They have, in part, been driven by Hanoi Grapevine, a hub of contemporary creativity. It became clear to Ly, the current head of the organisation, that to bring this community together, they’ll need to go offline. Along with fellow creatives Binh Nguyen and Ha Nguyen, the trio are creating a physical embodiment of Hanoi’s creative community, PAN. PAN, the Proactive Audience Network, is driven by a want to inspire, and to create a unique community, where anyone, no matter the age or occupation, can come together and get involved in their project. (link) “Before, [Hanoi’s creative scene] was just a virtual place,” Binh explains. “Existing online to an online community. But now we’re trying to produce a physical entity for it, a network of people sharing events.” The theory, Binh tells us, is that people derive inspiration from experiences, especially ones that they feel are original. “Normally when people attend an event they just consume it, but now they can go to events and create something from them, they become the critics.”“Normally when people attend an event they just consume it, but now they can go to events and create something from them, they become the critics.”
“We tried to provide a real experience for the participants, instead of ‘talking’ about it.”
When asked about the feedback that they’ve some far received, Ly states that, while the feedback has so far been positive, “We tried to provide a real experience for the participants, instead of ‘talking’ about it.”
Ly wants to encourage readers to attend one of their events to, “communicate via an experience” instead.
These have so far ranged from a practice session with Hanoi-based electronic group Limeboxc, to a workshop on writing about art, held Ly. Here, the audiences are encouraged to get involved, either through talking to the artist or organiser after the event, or by taking photos or videos, or any medium the audience chooses.
Binh explains that art is usually presented as a pre-made dish, and put in front of you to consume, “We want to take them back to the kitchen and see how the ingredients are put together.” He says.
The idea is to create and show the original ideas, and become a physical source of inspiration for people to develop their own work. There is, however, a second element to this. By interacting with the artists and the organisers, the team aims to light up the critical minds of their audience and foster a new community of future critics that are focused on the art, rather than the artist.
Ly, a long-term art critic and journalist herself, explains that critics can often be too personal when it comes to writing about artists, “We know that the culture of critics in Vietnam isn’t healthy, it’s not fresh. Critics comment on morality, and focus on personal attacks. We want to build a positive critical exchange and network where we can practice this positive and constructively critical review. We believe it’s there, we’re just trying to gather people’s thoughts and their energy to make it more pronounced. To create a different cultural exchange for the younger generation.”
It is not just feedback which is aiding in the development of this new generation of artists. Where the pursuit of art may have formerly been exclusively available to a wealthier class, Ly says that she has observed the freely available access to education on the internet, along with the ability to travel has led to a different type of young artists.
“We want to build a positive critical exchange and network where we can practice this positive and constructively critical review.”
“The government supports partly this bright scene, but the brightness is already there.”
“We recently went to a resort with a large area reserved for art and sculptures,” Ly says. “The people running the resort told us that this new generation of Vietnamese artists is an interesting blend of those who studied abroad and those who are very poor, but are driven to create art. What is interesting is that both groups produce the same kind of art. It shows that the present environment means everyone has the ability to do it.”
While PAN is not restricting their audience to a youthful demographic, looking at those who have attended their workshops so far, it’s clear that a young, fresh-faced Viet youth are the most engaged. A workshop such as their recent Writing About Art workshop drew over two dozen amateur critics.
While there is clearly plenty of learning taking place, along with a lot of practice for writing about art, like the artists they know, PAN is creating something a little more abstract.
Ha, who has previously allowed Binh and Ly to discuss the project, explains that it was her own experiences that lead her to help create this community. She had previously found it hard to find friends who wanted to go to these kinds of events. “I think that there are people like me though, those interested in art and culture” she explains. “But they don’t know where to get together to find other people who have the same interests.”
PAN may be in its fledgeling stages, but Hanoi’s contemporary art scene clearly isn’t. Having been recorded by Hanoi Grapevine for over 10 years now, it is somewhat surprising that the government is only now recognising it as a legitimate art scene. As Ly explains, “The government supports partly this bright scene, but the brightness is already there.”
It is clear that, for this brightness to continue, it will likely be the work of Proactive audience network – PAN, Hanoi Grapevine, and the community that they’re creating.
“I think that there are people like me though, those interested in art and culture, but they don’t know where to get together to find other people who have the same interests.”
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