Creative exhibition showcases students' perspectives on society and culture

Projects on family relationships, cultural identity, mental health, biodiversity, and emerging technologies are among the highlights of Summer Show 2026, the annual graduation exhibition of the School of Communications and Creative Industries (SOCCI) at British University Vietnam (BUV), where students showcased nuanced perspectives on society and culture.

The Summer Show 2026 recently held in mid-June at BUV campus features projects spanning film, design, installation art and interactive media.

Inspired by the theme "Interform," this year's exhibition brings together projects across multiple creative disciplines. Rather than focusing on abstract concepts, many students draw inspiration from everyday life, using design, film, and interactive media to explore personal experiences, social issues, and cultural narratives.

The 2D animated film "The Way Forward Isn't Clear" explores young people's journey into adulthood.

The project "What We Don't Say" examines unspoken emotions between parents and children.

Beyond personal stories, many projects expand to broader themes surrounding culture, heritage and contemporary society.

The project "Life. Death. And Taxes." explores Vietnamese ancestor worship beliefs through a multi-material installation.

Each project took months of research, experimentation, and engagement with communities. According to Dr. Paul D.J. Moody, Head of SOCCI, the exhibition reflects the school's emphasis on combining creativity, critical thinking, and real-world engagement.

"At the heart of SOCCI's educational philosophy is our promotion of human intelligence in real life. We develop the creative mindset and critical thinking that technology cannot replace to equip our graduates for success in the creative industries. We encourage our students to make real their initial ideas and refine them to the best possible standard. In our graduates' professional careers, it is this analysis and dedicated refinement that produces winners who will create value and generate positive impact," Dr. Moody said.

He added that while emerging technologies continue to reshape the creative industries, developing creative thinking and critical analysis remains essential for graduates entering professional practice.

Many projects focus on subjects often overlooked in everyday life, from conversations that never happened within families, sanitation workers moving through the city at midnight, to cultural values gradually drifting away from modern youth.

The campaign "This Meal is On Us" (L) uses family meals to encourage conversations about comprehensive sexuality education and personal values. While the project "Nghe la Nghe" (R) (Craft is Art) highlights the contributions of everyday workers.

The project "Choi Hoi" (L) (Festival Gathering) explores the role of community and human connection in modern society. The project "Snakes and the Art of Healing" (R) raises awareness of biodiversity conservation and the relationship between humans and nature.

The exhibition also highlights the convergence of creativity and technology, with projects incorporating virtual reality, game design and real-time graphics to demonstrate new approaches to storytelling and interactive experiences.

Creative works featuring VR, game design and real-time graphics are displayed at the exhibition.

Photos by Aleks Nguyen