VietNamNet Bridge – The rich lives of people with autism is reflected through visual arts at an ongoing exhibition in Hanoi.

Art power: Visitors learn about the life of those with autism through an exhibition in Ha Noi. — VNS Photo Minh Thu

Titled Encounters, the exhibition presents photography, video, audio and installation works by young artists. Three of them have an older sibling with autism - Trinh Mai Chi, PQN, Quynh. Three have a passion for photography - Le Anh Dung, Duong Thuy Ly and Tram.

PQN, whose real name is Pham Quynh Nhi, has an older brother suffering from autism.

“Life with someone with autism is not easy, but it’s not as terrible and difficult as people imagine,” she said.

“Through the photos, I want to tell visitors that living with the autists is not full of obstacles but also joy.”

Nhi presented photos depicting the ordinary days of her brother, the way he sees life and how he reacts with surrounding people. The exhibition is a part of a participatory research in autism through visual arts. The artists come from various backgrounds and are new to practising arts.

The artworks took shape through a process of discussions, exchanging personal stories, and through reflections on each other’s works and practices.

Le Huong Giang, a co-ordinator from the Centre for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population, said the exhibition opened space for images, colours, words and voices full of characters and styles about the spiritual life of those with autism.

The exhibition involves discussions, art tours and workshops to create an open space for dialogues about autism and related issues, from medical and social perspectives to visual arts in families with autistic members researchers, practitioners and artists and anyone with an interest in autism.

The conferences will reveal the experiences of siblings of people with disabilities, discussions about considerations in research and programmes using visual-based participatory methods, and Intelligence Quotient (IQ) in the assessment and intervention for children with disabilities.

During each 30-minute art tour, curator Nguyen Quoc Thanh and participating artists will introduce the ideas and concept of the exhibition and the process of making the artworks. The artists also offer special sessions with customised activities for families of people with autism, teachers and students from special needs school.

All art tours will be conducted in Vietnamese and free-of-charge, with English translation available on request.

Everyday, artist Nhung will conduct a series of interactive workshops for people with autism, families, students, and any visitors to the exhibition to learn about autism and, most excitingly, to make their own “zine” (what i s this???) through painting, colouring, writing, and cut-and-paste.

The exhibition will run until January 28 at the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, 36 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hanoi.

VNS