I was born in 1995, not yet belonging to the internet generation, but at a time when post-war Vietnam embarked on significant economic shifts and globalization. Growing up in my mother's hair salon in a suburban village near the capital city of Hanoi, I was nurtured by the northern Vietnamese village culture as well as the fast-paced transformations driven by urbanization. In 2018, I started my art journey in France. Then, I graduated with a Master's in scenography from École Nationale Supérieure des Arts décoratifs in Paris in 2023.
My early artwork was on my family's history and our childhood home. I discovered an interplay between micro-narratives and political and societal changes. This approach has enriched my understanding of my roots and the complex interpersonal dynamics within my family. It led me to research everyday violence and intergenerational traumas among the (Vietnamese) people in the past and the present.
My artistic research encompasses visual elements, scenography, and performance with an interdisciplinary approach. I often begin with conceptualizing specific spaces, creating imaginary landscapes and immersive environments, and inviting the audience to explore or share micro-stories. Here, scenography defines an emotional space through smells, light, sculptures, and sound. Then, the body and language intervene to elucidate the story.
I am interested in the turbulence zones, overlaps, and interferences that often reflect a narrative, consciously or unconsciously. My aim is not to illustrate the story as it is. Instead, I intend to create environments where these hidden narratives can find their voice and imagination can go to uncharted horizons. I embrace the irreducible, the inexplicable, the unexpected, the unusual, the impossible translation, and the silence of a story. Furthermore, I am also interested in using multiple languages in my performance, not only as a means of communication but also as a way to explore complex power dynamics.