​THE MULTIFACETED FOREST

The project draws its inspiration and name from the essay Các chiều kích của rừng (rough translation: The Multifaceted Forest) by writer Nguyên Ngọc, featured in his book Các bạn tôi ở trên ấy (rough translation: My Friends from the Highlands). This initiative is also part of the long-term artistic research and residency of artist Xuân Hạ at Toom Sara Village - an ASEAN-recognized Community-Based Tourism Site for 2025, located in Hòa Phú, a region heavily impacted by monoculture acacia reforestation models. 

​

Through a series of activities including forest field visits, immersive encounters with local cultures, community dialogues, film screenings, panel discussions, and workshops with experts, this project aspires to cultivate a multidimensional understanding of forest ecosystems and foster meaningful engagement among diverse stakeholders: local communities, governmental actors, creative practitioners, and specialists. The project centers on the forest ecologies of the mountainous western region of Da Nang, addressing urgent challenges such as monoculture acacia plantations, the preservation of the Cơ Tu people's cultural heritage, and community-based models of native forest restoration.

​​​

The program seeks to reimagine our collective understanding of forests, ecological stewardship, and local livelihoods in the aftermath of war and amid growing ecological shifts. It invites participants to co-create sustainable and community-rooted approaches for the forest's future.