Help Vietnam WAVE hello to the world

Help Vietnam WAVE hello to the world

WAVE (Wikipedia + Add + Vietnam + Editathon) workshop presented by RMIT Vietnam provokes a new perspective on archiving and promoting Vietnamese culture, art, creativity, and design through Wikipedia.

news-1-help-vietnam-wave-hello-to-the-world RMIT Bachelor of Design Studies Associate Lecturer Michal Teague (pictured left) and Bachelor of Communication (Professional Communication) lecturer Emma Duester presented a new perspective on archiving and promoting Vietnamese culture, art, creativity, and design through Wikipedia.

Part of Vietnam Festival of Creativity & Design 2021, the grassroots event aims at inspiring the creative sector in Vietnam as well as empowering future creative and designers through seeing their culture represented on digital space.

RMIT Bachelor of Design Studies Associate Lecturer and one of the two presenters of the WAVE workshop Michal Teague said that famous artists, museums, art spaces, or art genres like Vietnamese photography, from minority groups are less likely to have a Wikipedia page, and those that do are less comprehensive and detailed.

“This affects everything from national and international recognition to incomes and the development of the cultural sector in Vietnam,” she said.

By improving Vietnamese culture and art content on Wikipedia, which from Ms Teague’s observation is the first available source when people look for information online, “we hope to change community’s attitudes towards these sectors as well as repositioning creativity in Vietnam”.

“It, thereby, can contribute to the economic and social development of the country.”

At the first workshop on 14 November, participants were showed how to organise an ‘editathon’ [an event in which the community co-edits and improves content on open data sites, like Wikipedia] and other related topics.

“Participants ranged from interested members of the public, to students, educators, researchers, artist, designers, curators and cultural producers, and professionals from the GLAM [Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums] sector,” Ms Teague said.

To create a Wikipedia page, presenter and RMIT Bachelor of Communication (Professional Communication) lecturer Emma Duester suggested to include a lead section summarising who/what that are and why they are important, a biography section, a reference section, and an image from Wikimedia. 

“In following weeks, participants can update, supplement or create content on Wikipedia about cultural and artistic institutions in Vietnam in their own time,” she said.

news-2-help-vietnam-wave-hello-to-the-world The contemporary Vietnamese artist Richard Streitmatter-Tran whose work is presented in RMIT Vietnam Contemporary Art Collection, but none on Wikipedia.

Ms Teague used an example of the contemporary Vietnamese artist Richard Streitmatter-Tran whose work is presented in RMIT Vietnam Contemporary Art Collection.

“He is found in a search on photography in Vietnam, however, there is not a page on his creative practice or cultural contribution via Dia Projects on Wikipedia,” she said.

Ms Teague added that the RMIT Vietnam Contemporary Art Collection of over 50 art works can be better presented on the University’s Wikipedia pages as well.

“It is among the most prestigious collections of its kind worldwide which focuses on contemporary Vietnamese art and those artists working and living in Vietnam, from emerging artists born in the 90s to established artists now in their seventies, and includes painted work, sculpture and new media,” she said.

At the second WAVE workshop to be held on 21 November, participants will have opportunities to share what they have created and address challenges for a better practice in future.

Story: Ha Hoang

17 November 2021

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