The 'Memorial Project Nha Trang Vietnam (2001)' is a video project done by Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba. This video shows 3 cyclos getting pulled by two men for each cylco under the Nha Trang Bay. The reason why Jun wanted to make a video on something like this was to show the culture of the country slowly fading away into the modern western world. He used the cylcos as an example to show that this once prosperous way of transportation is now slowly fading into a tourist attraction and how it relates to the country slowly becoming more 'Westernized'.
It also features 30 mosquito nets which was set amongst the coral in the bay. What this symbolized a pilgrimage or a place of offering to the drivers of the cyclos. Jun also tells that the cyclo drivers or who carry people on their cyclos for a living would be pushed or put into a 'complex' situation of trying to find ends meet. Jun also says the nets should represent rest, repose, security, comfort, social and historical boundaries.
Ideas and concepts from the Enlightenment such as 'progress' can relate to this situation as it shows improvement of natural and social conditions of the people who get the benefit out of the fast growing technology of which most people adapt and use the benefits. But this also leaves out those who don't want to step out of their comfort zone and into the world of which developed so much in the past years or unable to keep up with a fast growing nation, in this case the cyclo drivers. This also makes you think if we were to look back just 10 years ago, what technology was available to the world in comparison to now. Also the view of Modernism with its idea of 'making human life more easier using machines' also plays its part here as it replaces cyclos with taxi's and buses as a means for better transport in the modern city.
What i think the title of the video 'Towards the Complex - For the Courageous, the Curious and the Cowards' relates to the artist's intentions to the art work is that it tells different points of view of which to look at the video. Complex; shows how complex life of a cyclo driver is through mosquito nets. Courageous; shows the cyclo drivers pulling their cyclos in the water. Curious; the cyclos plus the water equals something that would arouse your curiosity. Coward: for those who dared not to carry on the cultural lifestyle or avoid altogether.
References:
http://sites.asiasociety.org/arts/nh/interview.html
Hamilton,P(1992). The Enlightenment and the birth of social science, in Hall,S & Gieben B.(eds.) Formations of Modernity
