Amid an era of overlapping crises, the theme of the Vietnam Festival of Creativity & Design 2024 and its showcase, “RE:GENERATION”, emerges as both a call to action and a testament to regenerative creativity. In this moment of urgency, the showcase reflects a generation tasked with the responsibility to creatively heal and reimagine our relationship with the world. Here, creativity becomes not just a process, but a critical tool for regeneration—mending [1] community & space, [2] culture & heritage and [3] environmental sustainability while offering solutions to the pressing challenges of our time.

Rooted in the festival’s recurring theme of creativity, this showcase delves into how human ingenuity can not only repair but also reimagine the world in the face of the Anthropocene—the geological era defined by humanity's dominant impact on the planet. Within this context, the showcase unites diverse projects, each addressing different facets of regeneration, from reviving cultural heritage to restoring ecosystems.

The Anthropocene casts a long shadow over this showcase, reminding us that the environmental and social systems we depend on are nearing a breaking point. Yet, it is precisely within this crisis that the potential for regeneration through creativity becomes essential, opening new avenues for resilience and renewal.

Echoing the three core focuses of the showcase—community & space, culture & heritage, and environmental sustainability—this showcase brings together diverse projects, each tackling aspects of regeneration. These works not only document the current crises but also propose solutions that inspire resilience and hope. Here, innovation becomes resilience, as creativity leads the way in addressing today’s challenges.

Projects like the World Wide Fund for Nature’s Rewilding Vietnam aim to restore natural ecosystems, reintroduce native species, and protect ecological cycles. After years of quiet dedication, this initiative is brought to public view through a powerful narrative, giving a voice to the often unseen environmental efforts. Meanwhile, Reverence artistically highlights the impact of human activity on the environment by transforming environmental data into reactive installation art, offering a visceral reflection on nature as both subject and canvas.

In parallel, works like Đà Lạt — City of Arts and Chớp Bóng explore the societal and cultural dimensions of regeneration. Chớp Bóng revives lost histories, using AI to bridge the past and present, allowing us to experience the echoes of bygone eras through innovative technology. Meanwhile, Đà Lạt — City of Arts uses mapping and sustainable tourism storytelling to preserve and celebrate the cultural essence of the city, capturing what makes its heritage vibrant, worth living in, and worth sharing.

Additionally, the projects from the Lướt Code team and Ném present two contrasting but equally potent approaches to regeneration. Through Chiếu & Phẳng, Ném takes a utilitarian path, upcycling materials into creative homewares, showcasing sustainability in everyday life. In contrast, Dự Án Tiếng Việt by the Lướt Code team focuses on the beauty of the Vietnamese language through an artistic and educational lens, highlighting the shared love for their mother tongue while renewing the cultural connection to the language.

“RE:GENERATION” ultimately serves as a testament to the transformative potential of creativity. The diverse projects showcased here demonstrate how urgent innovation can not only respond to but actively heal the challenges of the Anthropocene. These works remind us that we can rise to the crises of our time, offering resilience, revitalization, and renewed possibilities for the future.

Giang Nguyen (c) 2024

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