Little Vietnam // Will Pham

About

Turf Projects presents ‘Little Vietnam’, a new film installation by London-based artist Will Pham, continuing his ongoing engagement with British Vietnamese refugee community centres and their political practices. ‘Little Vietnam’ traces the stories of different, yet connected, refugee groups from the1980s to the present, who have built communities in the UK. These include The An Viet Foundation, The Vietnamese Mental Health Services, Lien Viet Housing Association and Little Vietnam Restaurant, all based in London. Using methods including workshop facilitation, oral history interviewing, and archival research, Will Pham offers proposals for how to grapple with contemporary society, through minority methodologies. For the film, ‘Little Vietnam’ (2019), Will Pham reverses the focus onto himself, using his family run restaurant to explore refugee collective and political practices.

At Turf Projects, the exhibition will evolve with a programme of events and workshops led by WillPham, to explore these histories, and think about methods for collective working now. Contributors will undertake a community filmmaking workshop that expands on ideas in the ‘Little Vietnam’ film. This exhibition aims to support future alliances between Will Pham’s art practice and his family’s restaurant, ‘Little Vietnam’.

// ABOUT WILL PHAM

Will Pham (b.1990, London) is an artist working in socially engaged practise. He graduated from BA Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art & Design in 2013 and Postgraduate Fine Art at the Royal Academy Schools in 2018. He was awarded the ‘Breathe’ residency from the Centre for Contemporary Chinese Art in Manchester to visit Taipei Artist Village (2018), ‘Gasworks International Fellowship’ to visit Hangar, Lisbon (2015) and the ‘CCW Artists Moving Image Award’ at The South London Gallery (2011). He lives and works in London.

// FREE EXHIBITION EVENTS

➮ Free activity guides are available for families to explore the exhibition together. Pick up a physical copy at the gallery of download a copy by clicking here.

➮ Will Pham has produced a limited edition of 50 patches for the exhibition, priced at £4. Purchase them here!

➮ OPENING NIGHT // 23 May 5-9pm
Free & open to all with BYOB welcome. Including discussion with Will Pham, Rosalie Bell and Natalie Bell.

➮ ARTIST FEEDBACK // Led by Barry Sykes // 25 May 12-2pm
Free feedback session led by artist Barry Sykes

➮FAMILY ART FUN DAY // One for the Album // 29 May 12-2pm, 22 June 12-2pm
Come and create your own family portrait in this artist-led workshop. Take your own ‘Little Vietnam’ inspired family photos and build them into an album that tells a story about you!

➮GROUNDWERK 4.6 // Artist Websites// Led by Daniel Powell // 25 May 2:30-4pm
A look at how different approaches to maintaining an online presence can reflect and act as an extension of our practices.

➮ARTISTS LUNCHTIME FEEDBACK // Led by Will Pham // 29 June 12-2pm
April’s free feedback session will be led by Will Pham.

➮GROUNDWERK 5.2 // Economical Practice and Maintaining Agency // Led by Sean Roy Parker // 30 May 6:30-8pm
How can we make in a way that is economical? What skills and resources do we have at our fingertips, and what possibilities are provided by working with what we already have to hand? Why does being resourceful matter in the long term? Join Sean Roy Parker for a discussion around these themes, and put what you’ve learnt into action with a practical introduction to pickling. We will collectively problem-solve and carve out new ways to navigate economy and autonomy. Please bring an empty jar to fill with sauerkraut!

➮Community Filmmaking Workshop with Will Pham // 1 June 11am-4pm
One day filmmaking workshop led by artist Will Pham where you will learn the basic techniques in 16mm and digital filmmaking, including basic editing in Adobe Final Cut Pro. There will also be an opportunity to screen your film on Thursday 4 July, 6:30-8pm. Booking essential. No experience necessary.

➮ SCHOOLS AND GROUP VISITS
We work closely with local partner schools, and all schools and groups are welcome to visit our exhibitions. Please book ahead to receive free resources and an intro to the exhibition. Contact sophie@turf-projects.com for more info.

The exhibition and events were made possible with the generous support of Arts Council England & Croydon Council.