“United States of Vietnam†is a project that reflects on the current economical and social aspects of Vietnam in comparison with its history and society. The project represents Vietnam under its recent Western guise, enhancing the fascination for the consumeristic culture through past, present and future of the Vietnamese society. Nowadays, 95% of Vietnamese people agree that their country would be better off under capitalism, based on free market. Almost 40 years after the American debacle during the Vietnam War and the reunification of Vietnam under the Socialist Republic, it could be said the USA – the capitalist country par excellence – has had a slow victory over North Vietnam as capitalism has superseded communism. Vietnam has been able to turn the “American War†page and leave the past behind, also thanks to its young population composed of 70% by under-40s' people who weren't even born yet when the war ended after the fall of Saigon, today Ho Chi Minh City – HMC. Moreover, Vietnam is earning more than a chance to become “one of the world’s fastest-growing economies over the period to 2050†playing the role of the next Asian Tiger to rise from the ranks. Finally, the body of work represents this provocative, political, trend reversal in Vietnam featuring six different series that overlap themselves, such as the most exported products from Vietnam, office workers and businessmen, 3D-renderings of the next developments in HMC, students from the University of Technology, objects from international fast-food chains and – in conclusion – portraits of women motorbike riders who completely cover themselves as less suntanned is their skin, better their economic status is thought to be.
