Hà Ninh Pham, born in 1991, is an artist and art educator from Hanoi, Vietnam. Since 2017, he has been working on a long-term art project titled My Land, in which he has created a world that does not correspond to any culture in human history. This project encompasses drawings, sculptures, writings, and video games that represent maps, artifacts, stories, and cultural products of this imaginary territory. Each element is defined by its own unique logic, language, and cosmology. While this territory is fictional, Hà Ninh aims to explore how far he can go in persuading people that the territory truly exists.

Photo of Hà Ninh, © Hoang Thang 

Before arriving at My Land, Hà Ninh had already journeyed through various "territories," each representing significant milestones that helped him find his current creative landscape. He spent eight years studying drawing techniques under La Thành, a propaganda artist and the father of artist La Thị Diệu Hà. This early mentorship provided Hà Ninh with a solid foundation, enabling him to approach art more readily and have the advantage of mastering essential techniques during his studies at the Vietnam University of Fine Arts, where he earned his BFA in 2014.

Hà Ninh furthered his education at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, graduating in 2018. During that time, Hà Ninh had limited exposure to the contemporary art scene. Additionally, the complex political climate and the pressure to align himself with a particular political stance made him feel suffocated. Thus, he wanted to create My Land to reclaim a sense of tranquility and solace in a foreign land governed by his own definitions and rules that no one could influence or change.

Post-graduation study in the United States strengthened Hà Ninh’s confidence and broadened his perspective on art. This experience also helped shape his value system, what he seeks to achieve in his artistic practice, and what he wants to contribute to his community.

After returning to Vietnam, Hà Ninh was represented by A+ Works of Art, a gallery based in Malaysia. He actively participated in the regional art scene with the gallery's support. His notable solo exhibitions include Cheat Codes (2019), curated by Passenger Pigeon Press at FRONT Art Space in the United States; Institute of Distance (2021), curated by Michael Lee at S.E.A. Focus in Singapore; and Recursive Fables (2022), curated by Vân Đỗ at A+ Works of Art in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

In addition to his artistic endeavors, Hà Ninh is a lecturer in the Design Studies Department at RMIT University Vietnam. He is also engaged in a doctoral project titled Metaphysical Cartography for the Future, which envisions a future where local artists achieve ideological independence. He actively contributes to the local community as a curatorial board member at Á Space and participates in discussions and workshops on creative practice in Vietnam.

Hà Ninh's art captivates viewers with its meticulous attention to detail and mesmerizing precision. His pencil shading technique and color shades, exemplified in the Mothermap series - the spatial mapping of My Land, showcase the consistency of his creative process and how he introduces new concepts or retains existing ones in his artistic practice.

[Mothermap] v3, 1.35x1.7m, graphite and watercolor on paper, 2022

VAC conducted the following conversation in August 2024, the White Night open studio by artist Trịnh Cẩm Nhi in Hanoi, Vietnam. Hà Ninh Pham collaborated with Nhi on the piece Hanoi, 06 2024 as part of the VAC residency program.

Hanoi, 06 2024 is an experimental project pre-incubated by Trinh Cam Nhi and Ha Ninh Pham. During the creation process, the two artists agreed to use drawings as their sole method of communication, exchanged exclusively via email without any text or description. They also decided to write unsent letters to each other. The letters correspond to the timeline of each drawing’s creation. Nhi started the exchange by sending the first drawing on June 1, and Hà Ninh responded, continuing the dialogue until June 30. All corresponding drawings were created on A5-sized paper, whose medium was chosen at each artist’s will. When one sent the drawing, the other had 24 hours to respond with a new drawing and an unsent letter. Upon completion, the work includes 30 drawings and 2 journals recording their unsent letters to each other.

[Hanoi,06 2024], water color on Dzo paper and color pencil on paper, taken by Cá Con, 2024

Visitors at White Night Public Opening Day, taken by thisischuw, 2024

VAC: Trịnh Cẩm Nhi is an artist who is strongly influenced by Western painting style, particularly from her time at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome, Italy. Do you think this shared background has contributed to your common perspectives and artistic connection in this collaboration?

Hà Ninh: Nhí (a nickname of artist Cẩm Nhi called by close friends) and I have actually known each other for a long time; we are part of a group called the "Gang of Seven," or sometimes the "Gang of Six" because members occasionally come and go (*laughs). We share an idea about how to make paintings to be part of the discourses of contemporary art. We had initially planned a show titled “Work and Words” to address these concerns, but the group has not reached a consensus yet. Therefore, the format of Hanoi, 06 2024 is created specifically for VAC’s inaugural residency.

It has become an unspoken rule that contemporary artists today need to be fluent in not only artistic language but also critical discourses. Pioneers in contemporary art must know how to navigate the discourses of the field, and sometimes critical language takes the lead in this navigation. However, Nhi and I also believe that the formal language is equally important. For us, contemporary art is defined by the fact that it is being created now, rather than by specific themes, processes, or mediums. While political and social factors can indeed shape contemporary art, and institutions may seek work that promotes certain changes, it is equally important to allow art the space to develop organically. Not all art is created for audiences to "read" or fully understand.

Compared to Nhí, my current practice seems to lean more toward conceptual objectives while Nhí, I believe, clearly has a strong attachment to the language of painting - a language I can also 'speak' but not as fluently as she does. In our collaborative project in June 2024, we communicated solely through this language, yet the ways we expressed it differed. At times, I had to imagine the context of her communication based on what I already knew about her. While this was not always successful, I believe that in art, miscommunication can sometimes be beautiful as well.

VAC: Hà Ninh, your works are known for their unique spatial and temporal dimensions, according to your own rules, which you have long adhered to. How did you manage to maintain these principles while integrating them with Nhi’s arts?

Hà Ninh: It is true that I have some rules in my practice, but I think Nhi also has her own rules, and when we work together, we need to compromise and discuss with each other. Most of the compromises and discussions are within the framework of artistic practice. I think we both learned something new about ourselves after this project.

To communicate with Nhi without using words, I paid close attention to her brushstrokes. Having followed her practice for many years, I have come to realize that Nhi always knows how to convey some meaning through her brushwork. By carefully observing them, I could imagine the situation in which she created the painting.

Visitors at White Night Public Opening Day, taken by thisischuw, 2024

VAC: Your storytelling in the journal has left a strong impression on many. It appears that Nhi often altered the layout, which seemed to have caused you some “frustration”. Can you share how you constructed your story in response to Nhi’s changes?

Hà Ninh: I find this is the interesting part of this “game” because Nhi was the one who began our painting world with an “egg” and I would respond to that painting instead of doing something new.

It’s great that people responded positively; I am pretty surprised. I think what happened was that I tried to take control while struggling to communicate what I wanted to express. Sometimes, I can be a bit of a control freak! I believe my frustration stemmed more from my own situation than from Nhi’s responses.

Later, when I read both of our unsent letters, I found that our responses made sense, not in the sense that we truly understood each other’s intentions, but in the sense that our responses were about 80 percent relevant and coherent, not simply nonsense (*laughs).

VAC: During the creation of Hanoi, 06 2024, Nhi mentioned that the first half of the month seemed like the two of you were quite in sync and coordinated smoothly. However, as time went on, there were more "plot twists" and changes in composition. Do you share the same sentiment?

Hà Ninh: It is true that at the beginning, when there were only a few drawings, we could still maintain some form of communication. Later, as more drawings were added to the conversation, I was not always sure which piece Nhi was responding to, and that left me feeling a bit lost (*laughs). Plus, the pressure of having to draw every single day added to the frustration. There were times when I could not finish the drawing before midnight and had to work again at 4 or 5 in the morning the next day. It could not be later than the next morning because the other person would have to wait, and of course, we were not allowed to pressure each other since doing that would mean using words!

This process was again intriguing because, in my mind, there were two versions of Nhí: one who chatted with me daily about various topics in my unsent letter and another who communicated with me solely through our drawings.

VAC: VAC has observed that the Vietnamese art community possesses a distinct sensitivity and sharpness, making it promising for both domestic and international creative environments. What are your thoughts about this observation?

Hà Ninh: This is a topic I can talk about endlessly. Yes, I wholeheartedly agree that we have a secure artistic identity that makes us unique. I also agree that we deserve a much better position in the art world. Although the current situation is still very challenging, things are changing rapidly. I believe this scene is worth investing in. Please stay with us and be part of our future!

VAC: As a guest artist in this project, you had the opportunity to witness Trịnh Cẩm Nhi's residency. How do you perceive VAC’s current direction? What are the similarities and differences between VAC and other residency programs you have experienced or are familiar with?

Hà Ninh: From my perspective, VAC is doing well in supporting artists. I can identify several outstanding strengths. VAC offers sufficient resources and broad connections for artists. VAC demonstrates a willingness to listen and engage, making initial strides in connecting with artists.

In the international residency programs I have experienced, they often excel at building a strong sense of community. While residency programs in Southeast Asia tend to focus on smaller groups or individual artists, the ones in the United States or Europe may involve around twenty artists, or sometimes even more. The advantages of these programs include having dedicated time and resources for creative practice, engaging with the local cultural environment, and gaining recognition as a member of that residency community.

I believe VAC has great potential to become indispensable in our local scene. I hope VAC will build closer relationships with local artists, further develop the art education component as well as expand the art community in Vietnam.

VAC: In the future, can VAC’s audience expect to see you in other roles?

Hà Ninh: I always enjoy taking on different roles because it allows me to grow. So yes, they can definitely expect to see me in new capacities. However, I also hope they will be open-minded and generous as I explore these new directions.