The Facing the Climate exhibition in Vietnam is presented by the Swedish Institute, Embassy of Sweden in Hanoi, Manzi and the National Library of Vietnam.
“Facing the Climate” is part of a concerted drive, conceptualized by the Swedish Institute, to promote critical sustainable development under the heading “Facing the Future – Sustainability the Swedish Way”.
The initiative began in December 2009 in relation to the Copenhagen Climate Conference, when a group of 25 Nordic newspaper cartoonists provided some amusing and alarming reflections on climate change.
To illustrate Sweden’s active involvement in this area, the Swedish Institute developed the exhibition “Facing the Climate” in collaboration with the Swedish cartoonists/illustrators Magnus Bard, Helena Lindholm, Riber Hansson. Joining the exhibition are also Love Antell and Karin Sunvisson in commenting on the global climate dilemma.
The Vietnamese artists involved in this project are Dao Quang Huy (Kangaroooo), Mai Thao Ngan (Bit Tat Biet Tat), Ngo Duc Tri, Nguyen Ngoc Thien Kim and Pham Duy Dang (Mo). The exhibition is curated by Vu Trma and Bill Nguyen from Manzi.
The exhibition is accompanied by two workshops, bringing Swedish award-winning illustrator Magnus Bard to meet young students of Hanoi in an interactive environment that considers and enacts the communicative and cathartic potential of cartoons.
The workshops are scheduled on 30 September and 1 October in Hanoi Industrial Design Arts University and Afred Nobel High School.
Magnus Bard is very excited with his first visit to Vietnam, he said: “I want to make readers think with my cartoons, not to scare them away. I want to make hidden narratives such as climate change and global warming more interesting for people by showing how important it is, how it may impact our lives and what can we do together to mitigate it”.
Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Camilla Mellander noted: “Sweden is internationally known as a country that takes environmental issues and sustainability seriously. But taking something seriously doesn’t necessarily mean viewing it without humor. In the Facing the Climate satire and humor are blended with a genuine appeal for a more responsible attitude towards the issue. People everywhere share a responsibility to care for and protect our common home, our one and only planet Earth”.
As Vietnam is one of the ten countries most likely affected by climate change, Nguyen Phuong Hoa, Deputy Director-General of the International Cooperation Agency under Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said it is necessary to raise public awareness and understanding of this important issue via cultural angle and other new forms of communications.
"I do believe that climate change is an important issue that requires improved understanding and collective urgent actions. I really welcome the exhibition in offering some thoughts for the public audience in Hanoi. The use of drawings, cartoons and illustrations can catch readers’ interest and attention for an issue that might not always be easy-to-understand and fun," Hoa said.
The exhibition opens with free entrance at the National Library of Vietnam, 31 Trang Thi, Hanoi until Oct. 2.
Source: Vietnam Net | 28 September 2015
