gIỮ gÌN SỰ trONg SáNG cỦA tIếNg VIỆT
/ deFLOWeriNg vIETnAmESe
Vietnamese text "Giữ Gìn Sự Trong Sáng Của Tiếng Việt" ("Preserving the Purity of the
Vietnamese Language"), written by Prime Minister Pham Van Dong, which sought to
maintain linguistic purity amid cultural and national shifts. deFLOWeriNg VIEtnameSe
collects 49 recordings from a diverse range of Vietnamese participants, each tasked
with reading a simplified version of the original text from the 12th Grade Literature
Textbook. The resulting recordings create a sound collage that highlights the variety of accents, dialects, and personal nuances shaping pronunciation across the country.
By disrupting the notion of a singular, “pure” Vietnamese language, the installation
presents an “unpure” composition that reflects the complexities of language as both
a unifying force and a potential source of division. The sound collage is contained
within a podium, a structure traditionally associated with authoritative speech,
symbolizing the power to define what is “pure” and what is not. However, by allowing
the platform to amplify multiple voices and variations of language, the installation
challenges these hierarchical ideas. It creates a space for the Vietnamese language—
imperfect, evolving, and diverse—to be heard, questioned, and reclaimed by all.
Multimedia sound installation with podium, textbook, and speaker
60 x 50 x 108 cm; 9m44s