In September, a group of  16 young and talented artists and students began a journey across the nation to bring art closer to different community groups through a project titled Gieo (Sowing). They wanted to prove that art connects people - and that art can heal everyone.

By Nhi Liên

The group took 45 days to complete a nationwide journey through eight destinations from North to South. They interacted with about 700 people, teaching them art, and inspiring up to one million followers through social networking. 

The project entitled Gieo (Sowing) was organised by Toa Tàu (Train Wagon), a creative learning hub established in 2014 in HCM City. Đỗ Hữu Chí, founder of the group, said he wanted to create spaces to help people learn and enjoy art, writing, drawing, playing music, dancing and play acting.

He said that by giving blue-collar workers a chance to be aware, connect and perceive general art, the project helped them find their true soul. 

Gieo involved adults, disabled children, parents and people struggling from the burden of living and with little time for self-reflection. 

"We showed them how to use art as a tool to cure the heart. People can be themselves and show off their emotions when enjoying art, connecting with others and finding serenity,” Chi said. “We wanted to be a wagon to sow joy across the nation.”

The group raised VNĐ300 million to operate the project. Members met child patients in Hà Nội, workers at Ford Motor company in Hải Dương, cancer patients in Huế, inhabitants living in Lý Sơn Islands in Quảng Ngãi, fishermen in Phú Yên, members of the K’Ho ethnic group in Lâm Đồng, and workers making salt in Ninh Thuận and bronzes for pagodas in Sóc Trăng.

They were invited to draw dreams on canvas, play guitar or tell about their 10 most memorable moments with drawings and paintings.  

Gieo used writing, drawing, photography, movies and music to bring novel experiences to everyone, at the same time, to preserve and spread interesting, beautiful and original stories about contemporary daily lives of Vietnamese people.

“I had never painted before, but I enjoyed the experience of drawing my dream. It’s a nice house with a garden and a pond in the countryside. It is not hard to draw, art is not something complicated,” said Nguyễn Văn Năm from Hải Dương.