Close up photograph of a spiral bound book with an image of paper craft on the left hand side.
©

A lost archive of flower arrangement photographs (found in Ho Chi Minh City, 2023) © ICVL & Matca

Eight emerging photographers from across Vietnam will develop a new piece of work using everyday ecological encounters. Take part in talks, events and an exhibition. 

Roots & Worlds is a collaboration between Matca (Hanoi, Vietnam) and IC-Visual Lab (Bristol, UK). Together they will develop an alternative school, supporting eight emerging photographers from across Vietnam to develop a new body of work. Each project will use everyday ​ecological encounters as a point of departure, setting out exploring family histories, folk tales, environmental change or global trade routes.  

Alongside the school, there will be a publicly accessible programme of talks and events that explore the themes of the project. The project will culminate with an exhibition of the work created, taking place at Matca (Hanoi) in December 2023.   

About the collaborators 

Matca is an independent, non-profit initiative dedicated to opening conversations around photography in Vietnam. Founded in 2016 by a group of Vietnamese photographers, Matca runs projects across platforms, including but not limited to an online journal, a physical space, and an imprint.   

IC-Visual Lab (Bristol, UK) is an independent cultural organisation that brings together communities to explore overlooked issues, through collaborations with leading photographers, artists and writers. IC-Visual Lab exists to create collaborative stories that critically examine the world around us, while imagining other possibilities and advocating for change.   

At their core, both Matca and ICVL create alternative spaces through which communities can gather to explore the power and role of photography in today’s world. 

How to take part 

The programme will take place online and at Matca Space for Photography in Hanoi, between September and December 2023. More dates will be released in July 2023.