anh tran

Project No.07 : “Bầm” the exhibition

ROLE

Organizer
Art Director

TIME

July 2022

SECTOR

Exhibition

PROJECT OVERVIEW

“BẦM”: Unveiling the Harsh Reality of Child Abuse through Art

“BẦM” is an exhibition on the theme of child abuse. This exhibition is a combination of oil paintings, photographs, installation art, and interactive art.

OBJECTIVE

Child abuse has become a burning social issue in recent years, particularly in 2022.

OBJECTIVE

In response to this alarming issue, the “Bầm” exhibition aims to achieve two primary objectives:

1. Raising Awareness: To heighten public awareness of child abuse and its devastating impact on young lives.
2. Exploring Inner Depths: To delve into the psychological and emotional experiences of children who have been or are currently being abused, providing a deeper understanding of their inner struggles.

Additionally, the “Bầm” exhibition serves as a fundraising platform for the “Mơ Rừng Tây Nguyên” charity trip, which took place in July 2023.

EXHIBITION

OVERVIEW

The Storyline : The exhibition revolves around the story of a 10-year-old child named An. An was born as a result of her mother being raped. She was an abomination in her mother’s eyes. When An was 10 years old, her mother decided to remarried. A step-father entered her life, and from then, the horror of abuse truly began. The name “An”, which was given by her family, meant peace. Yet it was her own family that destroyed the little hope the once sincerely held.

The “Bầm” exhibition is divided into two rooms, each representing a distinct theme: “Darkness” and “Light”. “Darkness” embodies the despair of the abused child and the silence of society, while “Light” symbolizes the life that every child deserves, filled with hope and promise.

The exhibition’s flow guides visitors through a journey from the depths of “Darkness” into the radiant embrace of “Light.” This immersive experience invites viewers to confront the harsh realities of child abuse while simultaneously inspiring hope for a brighter future.

Table of Content

Room 1

Darkness

The abused child and the silence of society

Room 2

Light

The life that every child deserves, filled with hope and promise

ROOM 1 : DARKNESS

The Abused Child

The Dark Room explored 3 main aspects of child abuse: Physical abuse, mental abuse, and sexual abuse in children.

The “Dark” Room

Before entering the dark room, there is 1 work to show viewers an overview of the current situation of child abuse, followed by 1 work to give viewers a comprehensive view of the main character – little An.

Lights are off

The dark room has a unique feature where we will turn off the overhead lights, leaving only a few candles and a dim red light for illumination. Each visitor to the exhibition will be provided with a flashlight.

The purpose is for each painting, when viewed by a person, to become a highlight in their eyes. People will focus only on the painting in front of them and immerse themselves in the depth of each painting’s story.

Additionally, we want the “Dark” Room to appear as a reflection of little An’s inner depths:

Cramped, Constrained, Suffocating, and Dark.

“Mom, I’m in pain”
The painting depicts physical and emotional abuse, portraying a portrait of little An without a mouth, surrounded by shards of beer bottles from her stepfather.

“Teddy is my friend”
The painting about sexual abuse, with the teddy bear here as a friend and also a symbol of An’s soul, is stained with red stains.

“Reflection”
The painting of physical abuse, drawing a dirty mirror – An cannot see her own wounds by herself.

“Fetus”
The painting is about verbal abuse, depicting a fetus implying the saying “I wish you didn’t exist”.

Alongside each painting is the story and content of the painting so that viewers can better understand and appreciate each painting.

The work “My Normal Family” – a painting that uses Monochromatic Art to explore the souls of the three characters in An’s family.

When a red light is shone on the three portraits, the faces of the three people appear. However, when a blue light is shone, the blue light will eliminate the red, leaving the portraits of the mother and stepfather to take on the appearance of two evil demons, while An’s portrait remains unchanged.

“Tủ” (“The Closet”)

This artwork used Installation Art, Spatial lighting and Motion graphics to recreate the setting of an old wardrobe, a place where An often seeks refuge from her abusive family environment. It represents a sanctuary for An, a place where she can rest, be herself, and indulge in imaginative dreams like any other child. Here, An’s imaginary friend, a butterfly, emerges as a beacon of light, offering solace and hope for her troubled soul

“Hôm nay dượng lại uống say” (“My stepfather is drunk again”)

This is a Sculptural work that used Shadow art to exaggerate the statue’s form. The statue depicts the scene of An being beaten and abused by her stepfather.

“Ordinary Weapon” Artwork

The next Installation artwork features a large robot constructed to exaggerate everyday household objects, which are also commonly used as tools of abuse, such as cages, glass bottles, hammers, nails, chains, and the like.

The aim is to highlight the contrast – the same object can be a tool for emotional connection or a weapon of brutal violence.

ROOM 2 : LIGHT

Hope and Promise

The Light Room unveils a childhood world that all children deserve, a world brimming with vibrant colors, infectious joy, and unwavering hope for a brighter future for Vietnamese children.

“Tunnel of Light”

The opening artwork of Room “Bright” is “Tunnel of Light” – a simulation of a colorful childhood world resembling a crayon box, accompanied by drawings we collected from a kindergarten art class.

The centerpiece of the “Light” Room is the artwork “Uplift” – a collaborative painting created by all exhibition participants. The painting depicts a large hand gently lifting a small hand.

The purpose of the collaborative painting is to convey a powerful message – the collective support and action from all exhibition participants, each leaving their mark to symbolize our united stand against child abuse.

Marking the end of the “Bầm” journey is a flower dedicated to An, constructed from a wall of colorful sticky notes. Each note bears a message of hope and encouragement from visitors, addressed to An and the community, raising awareness about child abuse.

PROJECT ACHIEVEMENT

20.000.000 VND

Sucessfully raised fund for “Quỹ vì trẻ em nghèo Tây Nguyên”

620 tickets sold

WHAT HAVE

I RECEIVED ?

I receive much more than I give.

The journey of organizing ‘Bầm’ has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the psychology of children through my research. I have had the opportunity to learn and discover depths that I was rarely aware of.

From this experience, ‘Bầm’ has also given me the ability to empathize and compassionately understand the plight of abused children in Vietnam in particular, and domestic violence in general. ‘Bầm’ has instilled in me a sense of compassion and awakened my inner goodness.

Therefore, organizing “Bầm”, I receive much more than I give.