The First Conference on Curating in Vietnam

The First Conference on Curating in Vietnam brings together 18 curators, art practitioners, researchers, as well as representatives from public and private art organizations from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Hue, who have been actively contributing to the development of contemporary art in the country. Intending to become a platform for open discussion and critical thinking, the first conference, themed “Curatorial Practices in Vietnam since the 2000s: Opportunities and Challenges,” focuses on addressing immediate issues – practical challenges that curators in Vietnam have identified and encountered over the past two decades. The conference aims to identify opportunities and possibilities to expand and develop this profession in Vietnam while laying the groundwork for future curatorial practice-focused programs.

The conference consists of 5 symposiums, each presented by 3 panelists with specific case studies of art projects in Vietnam. Following the three presentations, the moderator will pose questions to encourage further discussion among panelists and the audience on the presented topics. The conference begins with historical reflections to provide an overview of the development of curatorial practice in Vietnam with Symposium 1: The genealogy of the term “curator” in Vietnam over the years and perspectives on curating. It then delves into practical issues specific to the context of the Vietnamese art scene with Symposium 2: Institution, infrastructure, and community building as curatorial practice, Symposium 3: “Authorship” in curating, Symposium 4: Writing as a curatorial strategy, and Symposium 5: Exhibition as a site for historiography.