LookAtVietnam – An artistic newsroom the “Emergency Room” is mixing current affairs with art in Hanoi.

The creator of the Emergency Room or E.Room - Thierry Geoffoy.

The creator of the Emergency Room or E.Room is Thierry Geoffoy. He compares the job of an artist in the E.Room to that of an under pressure reporter in a daily newspaper.

Before 12.15pm, artists have to bring their work to the E.Room. They must reflect a burning issue of the day. After 12am, old works are moved to the “delay museum” to give space for new works. The E.Room will operate for over a month.

Artists who participate in the E.Room must follow daily news to create effectively interactive works with the public and the media.

Gail Rothschild, an artist from New York who participated in E.Room, recalled: “The job at E.Room helped build my habit of reading The Times, Reuters, BBC, AP and pay more attention to social issues”.

The E.Room exhibition gathers various forms of arts: photography, sculpture, graphic art, art and video and has featured in Berlin, Athens, Copenhagen, London, San Francisco, Barcelona, Helsinki, Stockholm and now Hanoi.

In Vietnam, Thierry Geoffoy commented: “I see that some Vietnamese artists are still reserved and others don’t share the same viewpoints about art as us. One told me that he couldn’t hand in his work before 12.15pm because art needs time. But I hope that artists will learn how to do artwork like a professional ping-pong player with timely and sharply reactions”.

“Not all artists are willing to open their hearts about social issues. In the US, they absolutely don’t talk about measures against climate change. In Italy, artists avoid mention the mafia. “

The exhibition opens from October 28 to November 28 with the participation of 25 Vietnamese and Danish artists at the Vietnam Art University in Hanoi. This is among cultural activities celebrating the upcoming visit of the Danish Queen to Vietnam on November 2-6.

PV