In Australia’s diverse academic environment, I sought a sense of belonging – not only socially but within the very foundation of my artistic practice. My Master’s program prompted reflection on my values, identity, and traditions, leading me to integrate these perspectives into my art. My research is shaped by both my Vietnamese roots and my experiences in this new intellectual and cultural space.
In this search for belonging, I turned to what felt natural within myself – mindfulness, a practice deeply rooted in Eastern traditions for over 2,500 years, particularly within Buddhism. Recently gaining attention in Western research, mindfulness is about being fully present in the moment without judgement or labels – just letting things be. Yet, Western discourse often frames it through specific criteria, measurements, and guidelines, limiting it to a therapeutic tool rather than a creative, open-ended method.
Unraveling the Tensions
Despite the invaluable support I received during my studies, I encountered tensions between Eastern and Western approaches to knowledge, creativity, and research. Mindfulness, the foundation of my practice, is inherently fluid. It embraces uncertainty, intuition, and openness, in which the act of making is inseparable from the insights it reveals. In contrast, academic research, particularly in Western institutions, often demands structure in the form of defined research questions, literature reviews, and theoretical positioning established early in the process.
This fundamental difference became a recurring challenge. How do you define the outcome of a practice that embraces the unknown? How do you assess research that unfolds organically rather than follows a structured plan? At times, my approach felt like a loose thread resisting the academic loom, struggling to align with the institutional framework that prioritises clarity and predefined objectives.
These moments of friction underscored a broader issue in higher education – true inclusion is not just about welcoming diverse students but also about embracing diverse ways of thinking, learning, and creating.
Weaving East and West
Through process-driven experiments similar to practice-led action research, I developed Moment Art – a practice where mindfulness guides creative expression. Without predetermined outcomes, I let the present moment shape my work organically. This process embraces both external and internal phenomena, resulting in various forms. Sometimes, it’s brushstrokes flowing with the rhythm of my breath; other times, it’s intuitive weaving or knitting with textiles. Each piece emerges based on what feels right in the moment, and unpredictable insights often reveal themselves through the act of making. Though spontaneous, this approach mirrors mindfulness and Buddhism, where the rationale is no rational, the aim is aimlessness, and the meaning is to release all meanings.
I have struggled to articulate these ideas in my Master’s thesis. I explored connections between Eastern mindfulness practices and Western art movements such as Abstract Expressionism, Process Art, and Surrealism. These movements similarly embraced intuition, spontaneity, and unconscious expression, revealing unexpected parallels between the East and West. Over time, my approach accumulated into a series of works that embodied an intercultural synthesis of artistic traditions.
My research became a living tapestry of cultural diversity and inclusion, demonstrating that creative knowledge is not confined to a single tradition or methodology.
It affirmed that students from diverse backgrounds can, and should, draw upon their heritage to shape their artistic voices, even when navigating an educational system with different conventions.
Beyond Academia: Expanding Representation and Pedagogy
The impact of this research extends beyond my academic journey. In 2025, I will undertake an artist residency at The Mill (supported by donors Geoff Martin and Sorayya Mahmood Martin, Arts SA, and OzAsia Festival), which will culminate in a series of public events: a solo exhibition, an artist talk, and a group workshop. The workshop, in particular, presents an opportunity to integrate Moment Art into art education, encouraging students to explore and share their cultural identities through their creative practices.
True inclusion is not just about increasing representation, it is about creating space for different voices, methodologies, and philosophies to coexist and be equally valued.
My journey with Moment Art highlights the need for institutions to embrace cultural diversity not only in student demographics but also in the ways knowledge is created and assessed.
By integrating mindfulness into creative practice, my research offers an alternative model of artistic learning which challenges traditional research frameworks and encourages students, educators, and institutions to reconsider what it means to truly create, learn and teach in a world where cultures are interwoven and knowledge is ever-evolving.
Just as no two woven textiles are the same, no two approaches to learning and research should be expected to fit a single mould. Higher education should loosen its grip on rigid structures and embrace the intricate, unpredictable, and vibrant patterns that emerge when diverse perspectives are truly honoured.
WATCH Moment Art: a mindfulness journey towards being
Dai Trang is a Vietnamese artist and designer based in Kaurna Country, with a creative journey spanning the UK, Vietnam, and Australia. She holds a Master’s in Graphic Communication from the UK and a Master’s in Contemporary Art from the University of South Australia. Rooted in mindfulness and Zen Buddhism, her art and education practice reflects her cultural heritage. After three years of solitary and introspective practice, she has recently begun sharing her work in the local art scene following her graduation in 2024.
Main image: Dai Trang Nguyen, emptiness, University of South Australia’s graduation show 2024, installation. Image courtesy of James Field.