Steeped in the essence of Vietnamese folklore, this photo series is a harmonious blend of traditional bamboo structures by Architect Nam Nguyen, the poetic brushstrokes of Artist Vân Vân, the free-spirited touch of Makeup Artist Heidi Nguyen, and the profound passion of Drag Artist De Ara Hirosin captured through the Áo Dài from dada.ww.
Everyone embarks on their own unique journey to seek and define “beauty.” Join DNNLY as we explore the messages of love woven into this first interdisciplinary collaboration.
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—The Voices Of Bamboo— (Designer) Nguyen Huynh Nam |
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“Love all things for their true essence, for every form of beauty deserves to exist in its own unique way.”
I am Nam, a creator whose vision is deeply rooted in the essence of bamboo. Through the language of form, I seek to weave a tapestry between human emotion and the natural world—translating traditional narratives into a contemporary spirit. My work is a tribute to core values, honoring the inherent nature of every element I touch.
In my creative process, the material is the master. I do not impose my will upon the medium; instead, I let the bamboo guide the silhouette of each design. Every detail and curve is a dialogue with the material’s natural properties, crafted to evoke a sense of authenticity and tranquility for both the observer and the user.
I believe that every individual brings their own lens to an object. Through interaction and contemplation, they find their own bridge to nature and heritage, free from forced direction. Design should never dictate emotion; it should simply create a space where the two can coexist in natural harmony.
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—Beyond The Palette— (Make-up Artist) Heidi Nguyen |
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“I hope you find enough stillness to listen to your intuition, enough devotion to nurture the imperfect, and enough freedom for your every action to be a vibrant resonance upon this world. Do not wait for the world to define beauty for you. Create with a carefree heart, for the process itself is the purest form of love.”
I am Heidi, a servant of beauty and a soul tirelessly navigating the realms of freedom. I choose not to define myself through fixed titles. Instead, I am a tapestry of all that I love: the integrity of business, the stillness of philosophy, and the meticulous devotion of a craftsperson. I often find myself questioning: to renew the old is indeed beautiful, but is it truly free?
My search is for the beauty found in imperfection – in the traces of time and the lingering breath of humanity. I strive for the moment when we are no longer bound by predetermined palettes or rigid rules, leaving only a raw dialogue between intuition and reality.
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—The Echoes Within— (Illustration Artist) Van Van |
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“Never confine yourself within a comfort zone, as it only serves to limit your own journey. Let yourself experience life fully, and let the language of love emerge naturally from those experiences.”
As someone traversing a life enriched by the heritage preserved and passed down through generations, I consider myself profoundly fortunate. In my creative process, I allow my emotions and lived experiences to speak for themselves. It is in these moments that I find my truest freedom, unburdened by rigid rules or external expectations.
There were times when I found myself trapped in comparison, forcing my work into the molds of modern trends, only to realize I was creating art that didn’t carry my own voice.
I believe that our experiences are as unique as our fingerprints, so I say: Go forth and experience. When we have lived enough, we will naturally discover our own definitions of beauty and our own unique language of love.
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—The Art Of Letting Go— (Drag Artist) De Ara Hirosin |
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“Choosing not to give up, while remaining gentle with every outcome on my journey, is how I practice self-love. I believe the search for love follows the same path: just love. Let it lead where it may. If you encounter the wrong person, simply move forward with a bit more grace and caution next time.”
To me, “love” is the courage to speak one’s truth, the faith to believe in one’s craft, and the wisdom to occasionally surrender and simply drift with the tide. As a Drag Artist, my inspiration is a kaleidoscope: drawn from love, from life, or sometimes, from nothing at all. I believe we should simply exist as we are; if you have found your purpose, that is wonderful; if not, that is perfectly fine too. There is no need to rush.
Interdisciplinary Creation I is more than a mere intersection of diverse artistic mediums; it is a profound manifesto on freedom and the reverence for authentic values. Through the confluence of Nam Nguyen’s structural bamboo forms, Van Van’s dreamlike illustrations, Heidi Nguyen’s instinctive precision, and De Ara Hirosin’s spirited essence, we come to realize that beauty does not reside in a predetermined perfection. Instead, it flourishes within the very process of experience and the raw dialogue with reality.
This series serves as an invitation for each of us to courageously step beyond our comfort zones, listen to our intuition, and write our own definitions of “love” and “beauty”—a journey that is gentle and unhurried, yet vibrant and deeply true.
Project / ChiLab Vietnam @chilab.vietnam
Photographs / Hải Mân @carl.thewatermelon
Áo Dài / dada.ww @dada.ww
Article / Thiện Tài @thientai_
