Talkshow “Sea-through: Inside Mother of Pearl”: The beauty of Heritage through the Lens of Photography

To explore new perspectives on the heritage of traditional craft villages through the lens of contemporary photography, on the afternoon of December 5th, 2025, the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design of Van Lang University organized a talkshow on the topic “Sea-through: inside mother-of-pearl”. The event was part of the L’Officiel Vietnam Photography Contest 2025: “The Hand of The Maker” project, opening up a multi-dimensional dialogue space on the intersection between traditional values ​​and modern creative thinking.

The program featured: Director and screenwriter Leon Quang Le, nổi prominent for his film “Song Lang” which won 27 international awards; Actor Lien Binh Phat, the first Vietnamese person to win the Best Leading Actor award at the Golden Bell Awards; Founder of BLUSAIGON Xuan Quyen; Art Director of L’OFFICIEL Vietnam, Thanh Bình Đặng, discussed the issue of culture and origins.

Director and screenwriter Leon Quang Lê argued that tradition is not just about exploiting superficial material, but a journey of self-discovery for the artist. Drawing from diverse cultural experiences, he affirmed that incorporating various forms of heritage into artwork must stem from genuine emotional resonance and a need for authentic storytelling.

Sharing this viewpoint, Founder of BLUSAIGON, Xuân Quyên, stated: “Heritage is what we receive from previous generations, and then we choose what to leave for future generations.” This is the core spirit of the “The Hand of the Maker” competition, organized to honor the beauty of handcrafted labor and the human soul that no machine can replicate.

In addition, the “The Hand of the Maker” competition of the Ô Photography Contest 2025 will be held in two stages, with a total prize value of up to VND 20,000,000 and a full scholarship for a Styling/Creative Direction course at Istituto Marangoni London. At the end of the program, students will not only gain insightful perspectives on photographic thinking and heritage preservation, but also have the opportunity to shine in the Ô Photography Contest 2025. This is not only valuable knowledge but also a great source of motivation for the young creative generation to confidently continue on their journey of honoring Vietnamese cultural values ​​through the lens of contemporary art.

--------------------
Compiled by Yen Vi - Photos: Dien Khanh, Huu Tai