Lookatvietnam – The “1,000 jumps” photography exhibition, held by Vietnamese artist Pham Van Duc and his Irish wife, Ciarna Hackett, is taking place at Himiko Visual Café at 324 Bis Dien Bien Phu Street in Ward 11 in HCMC’s District 10.

The photographers want to show that making art is about feeling relaxed and comfortable, not tense.

“On a trip to Ireland, we found interesting moments of movements and we wanted to take them into art because they made us feel comfortable and free. Then, we invited people who were interested in taking part in the way we do. Both Irish friends and Vietnamese in HCMC’s District 5 and 6 were excited about our invitation and they felt free and relaxed when they jumped,” said Duc.

The exhibition also reveals a difference among cultures. Irish friends when invited to jump agreed immediately. Vietnamese felt shy and did not dare to jump but were ready to ask their friends to jump so they could enjoy watching.

Pham Van Duc, born in 1972, graduated from HCMC University of Fine Art in 2001. He has worked as a volunteer art teacher for the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, CNCF, for seven years. He is now a lecturer of the Fine Art Department of the HCMC University of Architecture. He also held an exhibition called “Jump Solo” at Himiko Visual Saloon Gallery in July 2008.

Ciarna Hackett, born in 1981, got her BA in Fine Arts at the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology in Ireland in 2004. She has worked as an Art and Music Coordinator at CNCF for four years. She also held her first painting exhibition titled “Internal Instincts” at Himiko Visual Café.

The two artists work together and share a common interest in helping children.

(Source: SGT)