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The third EVSDA workshop, under the theme of "Exploring Sustainable New Media," taking place between 11-15 December 2024 in the beautiful setting of a heritage French villa in the heart of Hanoi, features a series of exhibition activities, public talk, and workshops for the graphic design and multimedia communication community.

“Ngoc Ngach” - AR integrated exhibition by 30 young Vietnamese artists and designers. With the theme "Core Memories", the exhibited works revolve around unforgettable memories that deeply affect the personal identities of creators. Through these artworks, the intricate relationships between life, culture, and art across three regions of the country will be reimagined within a single space. Following the success of the 2021 "Xôn Xao" exhibition, which incorporated AR technology to amplify and spread young artists' messages, this "Ngóc Ngách" exhibition brings together a larger scale and more comprehensive collection of artists and works, complemented by an immersive and visually stunning augmented reality experience.

Workshop: “Good Design is Long-lasting” led by Thóc Journal (https://thoc.design/) - a hub that facilitates connection and discussion on diverse perspectives in contemporary Vietnamese visual culture through intimate conversations and community exhibitions.

Workshop with Viola Bernacchi (IT/NL) “Drawing with data: a study of Hanoi urbanisation” to help participants familiarize with the concept of using data combined with algorithms and design thinking to create exciting contemporary design works, reflecting the new spirit of the times, and integrating data to provide a perspective on Hanoi's urbanisation.

Public Talk with Anna Szylar (Monster Mind Studio, PL) & Huynh Minh Thong (Thóc Journal, VN) on Cultural Sustainability. One of the key aspects of sustainable development pertains to cultural sustainability, which involves preserving the unique identity of each nation while simultaneously developing and transforming cultures in new eras. This conversation will share practical experiences and explore new approaches to expressing elements of cultures in the context of digital art-making.

Public Talk with Anna Szylar (Monster Mind Studio, PL) & Trung Bao (Fustic.Studio, VN) named “A survey of new media showcases” to share experiences and mechanisms for organising arts exhibitions in a digital context, utilising modern technological advances.

A networking reception will be hosted by EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier on the afternoon of 14 December on the occasion of the first official events in Hanoi of the EVSDA project, gathering the creative, arts and design communities and EU Member states representatives.

About the Guest speakers

VIOLA BERNACCHI (Italy) is a designer and data visualiser based in the Netherlands. Her design approach combines a theoretical background with a strong interest in building visual systems that make complex issues understandable.

Viola is a member of RNDR, a design studio for interactive media, where her practice explores the relation between code and design. Using data as a tool, she works with an interdisciplinary team on a wide range of projects, from physical and interactive exhibitions to generative visual identities, for cultural institutions, universities and innovative clients worldwide.

Together with the RNDR team, she has worked for companies and institutes the likes of: Audi, Autostadt, European Environmental Agency (EEA), TU Delft, Space10, Government Summit Dubai, Wellcome Trust, Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands, and many more. In the past years, she has given extensive workshops on designing with data and joined as educator for the Geo-design Master at Design Academy Eindhoven.

https://rndr.studio/

ANNA SZYLAR (Poland) is a curator and cultural manager with ten years of experience in international cooperation in the field of immersive media. As initiator and curator of Digital Cultures festival, she works as a propagator and promoter of Polish art, the recognition of which she has built over many years of international work, collaborating with festivals such as SXSW, MUTEK, Tribeca Film Festival and Sheffield Doc Fest, amongst others.

Between 2020-2023 she was involved with the Visual Narratives Laboratory (vnLab), where she was in charge of the VR distribution and international relations. She also works as a Programme advisor for immersive festivals, including IDFA Doc Lab. In 2024 she founded Monster Mind Studio, which helps artists reach out for international

exhibition opportunities and festivals to develop XR programmes. Szylar is also involved in research projects around building a VR archive and propagating sustainable digital production.

https://monstermind.studio/

TRUNG BẢO is a multidisciplinary Vietnamese artist and leading vocal experimentalist. He is also the founder of Fustic.Studio, an acclaimed Hanoi-based creative studio, and the co-creator of the groundbreaking Voice Gems project – a bespoke generative system that transforms the unique qualities of the human voice into digital gemstones and physical sculptures of unparalleled uniqueness. His artistic endeavors reside at the dynamic crossroads of technology, art, and local culture, where sound intertwines with imagery and tradition. He is a pioneering force in the field of new media art, combining cutting-edge technology with cultural narratives. His work not only enriches Vietnam’s artistic landscape but also contributes meaningfully to the global conversation about the future of art, creativity, and technology.

In 2024, Trung made remarkable contributions to both the Vietnamese and international art scenes. He participated in the Small V0ICE exhibition at Honor Fraser Gallery (USA), which explored the complex relationship between artificial intelligence and creativity. Trung also collaborated with Reeps100 to perform at the TIME100 Most Influential People in AI event (Dubai), where they presented a 190BPM duet between human and AI voices at the Museum of the Future.

Trung opened the Hanoi Festival of Creative Design 2024 at the iconic Hanoi Opera House with his new piece “Ke Cho”, a performance blending traditional Vietnamese music with contemporary elements.

Beyond his large-scale projects, Trung collaborated with Ngo Hong Quang on “Ve Kinh Bac”, a performance reinterpreting Northern Vietnamese folk music, highlighting the beauty and relevance of traditional forms like quan họ and hát xẩm in modern contexts. 

https://fustic.studio/About

HUỲNH MINH THỐNG is an independent designer and creative director, who graduated from Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture.

Beyond independent projects, Thống runs Thóc Journal - an initiative dedicated to discovering and celebrating contemporary visual creators in Vietnam through conversations and community exhibitions.

Thống has initiated several community-focused creative initiatives, including as Lead Organiser of the AR exhibition "Xôn Xao" (2020, HCMC), as Art Director for artist Chiron Duong's solo exhibition "Midnight in The Mangroves" (2022, HCMC), and Creative Director and Organiser for the AR exhibition Ngóc Ngách (2024, HCMC).

Education is another key aspect in his practice. Through the activities of Thóc Field - a training initiative founded by Thống offering specialist design and creativity workshops - he currently serves as one of the leading workshop facilitators in visual design systems. Additionally, he is the Co-founder and Art Director of Xôn Xao Studio, creating brand identity solutions, book/packaging/website designs, and contemporary visual imageries.

https://www.behance.net/toddhuynh

About “EU-Vietnam Sustainable Design Awards” (EVSDA)

Initiated by the EU Delegation, the EVSDA project is committed to the proliferation of sustainable design practices in Vietnam, and the development of communities around these practices; in doing so, the aim is to ultimately contribute to Vietnam’s sustainable inclusive development – indeed one of the priorities in the EU’s engagement with the country.

Implemented in partnership with Elle Decoration Vietnam, the first phase of the EVSDA project will consist of a series of events and activities between September 2024 and spring 2025, culminating in the inauguration of the Awards in mid-2025. Thereafter, the second phase of the project will be the long-run organisation of the EVSDA on an annual basis.

The EVSDA project consists of four main thematic pillars which correspond to the four categories of the Awards: Architecture, Product Design, Communication Design, and Innovation. Through the cultural and creative dimensions brought about by these pillars, the project aims to highlight how sustainable and innovative design practices can engender concrete and positive experiences in our daily life.

Sharing about the objectives of the EVSDA project, EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier said: “The project reflects our ambition to develop an innovative framework to support and facilitate the transformation of our lives in a creative way. With this project, I very much look forward to connecting with Vietnamese architects, designers, artists, engineers, cultural practitioners and innovators who will create a bridge between the world of the arts and culture on one side and that of science and technology on the other, to bring in many inspiring ideas combining sustainability, practicality and aesthetics, for the benefit of our daily life. We need all creative minds to make this project a success.”

Updates on the project can be found at the Facebook page of the EU Delegation to Vietnam, as well as the official EVSDA Facebook group.

The EVSDA project is realised in partnership with and funded by the EU’s Cultural Relations Platform initiative.