Exhibition “Creative Matching”
10 AM – 06 PM, 13 – 18 Nov 2026
Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism
47 Hàng Dầu, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội (phòng bên phải từ cổng vào)
From the organizer:
How can the knowledge and techniques accumulated over generations be preserved, developed, and find their place in today’s world? How can artisans and contemporary creatives work together to create new products without losing the essential values of traditional crafts?
Inspired by these questions, “Kết duyên sáng tạo | Creative Matching” was conceived as a structured model connecting traditional craft artisans with contemporary creatives. It seeks to foster encounters, dialogue, and co-creation, where traditional craft knowledge is carried forward through new forms of expression, allowing heritage values to find renewed life in contemporary society.
As part of Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2026, the “Kết duyên sáng tạo | Creative Matching” Exhibition presents the initial outcomes of collaborative journeys undertaken by the project teams selected by the Jury. Through research, professional exchange, material experimentation, and product development, traditional craft techniques and indigenous knowledge are explored through new design languages, opening up possibilities for their application in contemporary life.
From lacquer art, mother-of-pearl inlay, traditional embroidery, folk paintings, dó paper, and traditional fan-making to tò he figurine-making, puppetry, and silver engraving, each project offers a distinct approach to Vietnamese craft heritage. Here, artisans are not merely custodians and practitioners of traditional techniques, but active participants in the creative process. Meanwhile, designers and creative teams bring new perspectives, methodologies, and possibilities for product development.
The exhibition is not only an opportunity to discover experimental products emerging from these collaborations, but also an invitation to explore the encounters, exchanges, and processes of experimentation behind each creation. Through this initiative, Creative Matching seeks to open up new ways of connecting heritage with contemporary creativity, while ensuring greater recognition of artisans’ knowledge and contributing to the sustainable development of traditional craft villages.
Exhibition Information:
Advisory Board:
– Nguyễn Tú Hằng
– Nguyễn Nhã Quyên
– Nguyễn Thu Thuỷ
– Nguyễn Anh Thư
– Cao Trung Vinh
Projects:
– SonMani
Project Leads & Designers: Đỗ Thị Như Quỳnh, Lê Đức Trung (Jigme Gadé) · Artisans: Đỗ Duy Hiền (Hạ Thái lacquer), Nguyễn Văn Thanh (Chuôn Ngọ mother-of-pearl inlay) · Iconography Advisor: Robert Beer
– Tiệm Thơ
Designer: Nguyễn Thơ Thơ · Meritorious Artisan: Phạm Xuân Cường (horn crafting & mother-of-pearl inlay) · Skilled Hand-embroiderer: Nguyễn Thị Tuyết · Quất Động embroidery village
– Unveil
Designer: Phạm Phương Thu · Connecting Partner: Bạc Hôme · Craft Village Representative: Phạm Thị Ngọc Bích · Artisan: Đinh Quang Thắng · Đồng Xâm silver carving village (Thái Bình)
– Phường “Rối”
Phạm Quang Hữu, Mạnh Hiệp, Nguyễn Nguyễn, Trương Hằng · Meritorious Artisan: Phạm Công Bằng · Tế Tiêu puppet guild
– Gió Di Sản
Craft Link Social Enterprise JSC — Trần Tuyết Lan (General Director), Đinh Thu Hương (Head of Design), Nguyễn Thị Thuỷ (Project Coordinator) · Artisans of Quạt Quỳnh Group: Nguyễn Thị Tuấn, Nguyễn Như Quỳnh · Chàng Sơn traditional paper fan village
– Ô Ăn Quan
Design Team: Nguyễn Hương Giang, Lê Hà Chi, Nguyễn Phương Chi · Artisan: Trần Công Dũng · Hạ Thái lacquer village
– Lam Nguyên
Nguyễn Nhật Linh, Nguyễn Tiến Minh, Nguyễn Nam Khánh, Nguyễn Hà Khánh Ly, Nguyễn Phạm Thu Minh · Connecting Partner: Hoàng Hiệp abalone inlay paintings · Chuyên Mỹ mother-of-pearl inlay village
– Tò He Phố Nghệ
Phạm Thuỳ Trang, Bùi Tiến (Bối Ân Company) · Tò He JSC · Artisan: Đặng Văn Hậu · Xuân La Tò He village
The exhibition takes place as part of Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2026.
We warmly invite you to visit and discover the creative connections between traditional craft artisans and contemporary creatives!
Follow updates on event’s page.
