Phong Cao Phan

I’m a freelance artist living in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, my artworks primarily are dioramas. I was born in a coastal city, my childhood spent primarily with the sea. I have beautiful memories in running barefoot in the sand, playing football in the beach, swimming in sea with my childhood friends. But when I was about fourteen, my family broken, I went to Ho Chi Minh City, and have lived here until now. I have never forgotten my childhood on the beach, that I went back to every year, as everything changed.

The sea is now exploited much for travel and industry, water pollution news leaves me in shock.

When my son swims, I'm scared about invisible toxic chemicals in the sea water.

When I eat fresh seafood, I'm scared it might break my health.

I can’t stop being fearful and can’t feel safe and happy on the sea like when I was a child.

I am scared some I will lose memories about my childhood’s beach, about how it was pure, clean and good for heath. I am scared my son may never know how it was before.

I pray my memories may come true again, so that the sky is pure for free breathing, water is clean for swimming, seafood is fresh and safe, children can swim and play on beach everyday. I pray for the ocean may be pure again and humans stop breaking nature.

Thank you Nataasja and all the Prayers artists and team members.