Dat Vu

Muted Conversations explore the spirituality and superstitions surrounding rituals in Vietnam, including both staged and candid images taken during my extensive travels across the country. These images reveal how Vietnamese people, across diverse regions, perform rites and rituals in sacred spaces and in daily life; these photographs hint at the subliminal differences between rural and urban life; between public and private space; between understanding myself as observers, voyeurs or provocateurs. 'Muted Conversations' aims to address the significance of traditional cultural practices as Vietnam rapidly transitions into a new era. How do people adapt and incorporate these practices into different aspects of their life? What is their understanding towards the different systems of beliefs and values that overlap with one another? And where do we find our identity in this flux of historical legacies and contemporary movements? While these questions refer to a collective mindset, the observations stay within my personal context.