The traditional Vietnamese way of life was the highlight of Vietnam Halography 2017, an annual festival showcasing the works of promising creatives throughout the country.

The festival, which concluded its two-day Ho Chi Minh City event on Sunday at RMIT University in District 7, was a convergence of Vietnam’s design and creative arts community.

Twenty-seven portfolios by the most promising Vietnamese designers and illustrators were submitted to the festival’s Behance Portfolio Review event and displayed at RMIT’s South Saigon campus over the weekend.

Works of 18 other artists, who competed in categories including Motion Graphics, UX/UI, Graphic Design and Digital Arts/Illustration, were also featured in the Halography Exhibition contest.

Creative works by young artists were displayed at RMIT University in Ho Chi Minh City as part of Vietnam Halography 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Creative works by young artists were displayed at RMIT University in Ho Chi Minh City as part of Vietnam Halography 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Creative works by young artists were displayed at RMIT University in Ho Chi Minh City as part of Vietnam Halography 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Dat Phan, who won the Digital Arts/Illustration category for his re-imagination of Vietnam in days gone by, said he had always been captivated by a traditional lifestyle.

“Because of my fascination for the old way of life of the Vietnamese people, I have re-imagined their world through the eyes of the younger generation,” Dat said in his acceptance speech after receiving the award. “I have learned to integrate their works into different fields so that, from a new perspective, the old culture can draw a modern breath and become more relatable to the youth.”

Maxk Nguyen, a member of Vietnam Halograpy's board of advisors for 2017, and who came to public prominence via his ‘Saigon From Behind’ project, praised participants in this year’s event for their youthfulness and their inclination toward cultural significance in their works.

“When we talk about creative arts, the most common thing that comes to mind are paintings and videography. However the arts community is much broader than that,” said Maxk Nguyen. “There should be more festivals of this scale where Vietnam’s design community can meet, showcase their artwork and share their perspectives with others.”

The festival had previously been organized in Hanoi from May 13 to 14.

'Morning in the Garden' by Dat Phan

'Spring of the North' by Dat Phan

'Spring of the South' by Dat Phan

'The Sun of Eternity' by Dat Phan

'The Moon of Memories' by Dat Phan

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