Anh Tran

Upcycle Bookbinder, Community Artist & Arts Facilitator (London, UK)

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Veggie Print Notebook Workshop for Centre 151 Open Day & SenseScapes x London Design Festival - workshop facilitator

Using collected veg scraps and cardboard food packaging as creative sensory play, participants would print the veg shapes and textures onto the covers and then use a simple bookbinding stitch to create a mini upcycled notebook. All veg, string and paper waste was kept and taken back to my garden compost so that with time, it will turn back into soil and be used to plant veggies in my garden.

I facilitated the workshop at Centre 151 Open Day which was to shared Vietnamese culture through food, performances and workshops for East & South East Asian Heritage Month and SenseScapes by MA Curating Contemporary Design at Kingston University for London Design Festival - a group exhibition and public programme that treats memory, care, and solidarity as perceptual capacities by showcasing creative practice as sensorium and archive.

Photos by kamipaper & May Cheng

Sept 2025

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Guangxi Guerrilla Farmers Zine - photos, words and design

I made this observational photography zine about my time in Guangxi, China where I encountered gardening patches in public spaces by guerrilla farmers. I enjoyed looking out for them during my walks and my heart fills with joy when I see the veggies growing, nurtured by the farmers.

• A5 portrait • 28 pages full colour • Edition of 100 (numbered) • Printed in the UK by Print Work

Special thanks to Alwayshing for the Chinese to English translation. Available to purchase on Etsy

Sept 2025

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Borderless by Hand: Collective Zine Making Workshop for Immigrants - workshop facilitator

In May 2025, the UK government introduced a new contributions-based immigration model, extending the route to settlement from 5 to 10 years and declaring that "living in the UK is a privilege that must be earned." This year also marks the 1st anniversary of the 2024 far-right anti-immigration riots. In response to this increasingly hostile environment towards migrants, and the broader resurgence of conservatism, we had organised a zine-making workshop. Alongside participants, we shared stories of migration, diaspora, displacement and visa/border issues in a safe environment, by using our hands we expressed it creatively through zine-making and creating passport sized zines where we imagine there would be no borders and reflecting on them afterwards. Thank you to Good Growth Hub for letting us use your space to be vulnerable and creative.

Sept 2025

About the facilitators: Alwayshing is a community artist and historical researcher. She collaborates with artists from diverse migrant backgrounds to organise monthly textile+ workshops that combine textiles with various artistic media.

kamipaper is an upcycle bookbinder, community artist and arts facilitator.

Hanjun's work explores the experiences of ethnic minority migration through game studies and community event facilitation.

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Ngon Quá, Recipes of Life - participant

Ngon Quá (which means very delicious in Vietnamese) is a community cooking project by British Vietnamese artist Will Pham inspired by Recipes of Life, facilitated by Dr Lili Ly and Dr Angela Byrne, and commissioned by Deptford X Arts Festival.

Throughout the Summer, 2nd generation Vietnamese & Chinese/Vietnamese community participants met up in Deptford, London (where there is a large Vietnamese community) to collectively cook a recipe each week and reflect on their Vietnamese heritage through 'Recipes of Life'. We used food to reflect on memories, story sharing and intergenerational healing, within the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.

We also took a trip to Margate, a seaside town in Kent, UK with the 1st generation elders. At the end of the project, we collectively made a metaphorical recipe of life to reflect us as 2nd generation British Vietnamese and we chose to make a recipe for belonging.

All this accumulated into a 3 channel multi-video installation of the Elderly Luncheon Club at the Evelyn Community Centre, a cooking session with the 2nd generation community and the Margate trip. The video installation was shown as part of Deptford X Arts Festival in July 2025.

Images taken by the 2nd generation community members. July 2025

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Crochet x Bookbinding Workshop - workshop facilitator

This Spring I collaborated with alwayshing to create this workshop combining crochet and bookbinding. Participants made a multi functional crochet leaf sprout (which can be used a bag charm/book mark/cable tie) and a simple 3 hole stitch booklet. Thanking all participants on joining us on a cosy evening to crochet and bookbind together. alwayshing is a community artist and historical researcher with a keen interest in interdisciplinary collaboration. She co creates supportive and inclusive spaces by blending crochet, community engagement and archival research to support participants in engaging with art. kamipaper is an upcycle bookbinder, community artist and arts facilitator, who likes to share East & South East Asian (ESEA) diaspora stories and is interested in sustainability and nature. May 2025

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Flooat Studio x kamipaper UPCYCLED II Bookbinding Workshop - workshop facilitator

After the happy collaboration with Flooat Studio in May, I was invited back again into the tearoom for another upcycled bookbinding workshop in the Autumn. Participants were welcomed into the space with a cup of healthy tea by Flooat Studio and a dim sum snack. They then sifted through the collection of sweet wrappers that kamipaper had collected, to choose wrappers that they wanted to weave onto their mini notebook covers. Participants were also encouraged to bring wrappers that they would like to incorporate onto their covers, whether nostalgic or from their cultures. After weaving the selected wrappers onto their covers, we then made a mini coptic bound notebook together that the participants got to take home.

This collaboration came together again as the feedback we got was encouraging and lovely. We created the workshop to be therapeutic, meditative and slow, as city life can be so fast moving. It was great to see everyone engaged in conversations with their neighbours and having thoughtful conversations during the workshop.

I am deeply grateful to Flooat Studio for always opening up their space and for being so supportive during the preparation and actual workshop.

Oct 2024

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Ming Hai Takeaway Shop Front for RIOT SOUP x The Other Art Fair 2024 - mixed media collage illustration

Ming Hai Takeaway Shop Front is an A4 landscape collage illustration of the shop front that is featured on the cover of Ming Hai Zine, which is about a family run Chinese takeaway in East London. I wanted to add a bit of the takeaway in the artwork as I felt like the textures would help elevate the artwork, so I incorporated aluminium food trays and a plastic bag from the takeaway in it. RIOT SOUP was invited to be a featured partner for the 100th edition of The Other Art Fair at the Truman Brewery and brought the community artists along for the ride, Ming Hai Takeaway shop front was selected to be part of that showcase. Thanking Asma and the RIOT SOUP crew for all the kind encouragement and help for exhibiting at the art fair. RIOT SOUP is a collective made up of black and brown women artists in London, UK. It was founded in 2019 as a grassroots, bottom up solution to addressing racism and inequality in the arts.

Oct 2024

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Beanfeast 2024 Programme Leaflet - design, page layout, collage & illustration

The term "Beanfeast" dates back to 6th July 1773, when King George III arrived at Woolwich by barge and proclaimed an annual holiday after enjoying an open-air feast of beans and bacon. Woolwich Works' modern Beanfeast was a unique recreation of the feast, 251 years later, with a food-filled programme curated by food writer Anna Sulan Masing. I had a happy chance to work with Anna again and first time working with Woolwich Works. I was asked to create the programme leaflet for the festival and they were very open with the brief, I decided to do a collage artwork for the cover with a cute playfulness of the beans and bacon, with bright and cheerful Summer holiday colours running throughout. The programme consisted of the layout of Woolwich Works and the schedule for all the talks, workshops, makers market and live music. Thanking Anna and Allison from Woolwich Works for this Summer project, and for being open and engaging with my designs.

July 2024

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Flooat Studio x kamipaper UPCYCLED I Bookbinding Workshop - workshop facilitator

An upcycled bookbinding and weaving workshop in collaboration with Flooat Studio. Participants were welcomed into the space with a cup of healthy tea by Flooat Studio and Malaysian sweet treats by Sueperlicious. Participants then sifted through the collection of sweet wrappers that kamipaper had collected, to choose wrappers that they wanted to weave onto their mini notebook covers. Participants were also encouraged to bring wrappers that they would like to incorporate onto their covers, whether nostalgic or from their cultures. After weaving the selected wrappers onto their covers, we then made a mini coptic bound notebook together that the participants got to take home.

This collaboration came together as we wanted to have a workshop that could be therapeutic, meditative and to slow down especially as city life can be so fast moving. It was also a way to engage everyone to converse with their neighbours and have thoughtful conversations during the workshop.

It was the first time for me to showcase this workshop using upcycled sweet wrappers combined with coptic binding, thanking Flooat Studio for suggesting I teach a workshop like this and for being so encouraging and supportive during the preparation and actual workshop. Photo credits: kamipaper, Flooat Studio & Alison Hui.

May 2024

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Nana's House Installation, London College of Fashion - Community Co-Curator

Nana's House is an interactive living room installation, as part of Designed for Life which coincided with the opening of the new campus in Stratford, East London, UK.

The living room reflects and represents a broad heterogeneity of lives and experiences in East London told through a fictional family gathered on a Sunday afternoon at Nana's house, using artefacts and QR-linked soundscapes to represent each family member.

"Nana's one of a kind, and so is her house. It's Sunday afternoon, and her Leytonstone Victorian terrace is at capacity. Mum, dad, uncle and Grandad congregate around the jollof, but I'm more interested in the sweet, spiced tea and homemade samosas that have made a regular appearance here since we took in a lodger - an Indian-Muslim exchange student from Hyderabad.

My grandparents have lived here long before I was born. The walls tell the tale of an exuberant young textile worker arriving in London in 1960, fresh from Ondo State, Nigeria, with an infatuation with the latest in fashion and design. Over the years my mum has tried to add some modern toches; working in finance, she began to share her wealth in the late 80s with a new TV and sofa - much to the apathy of Grandad, who only believes in fixing what is broken.

Grandad was a print worker, a determined trade unionist whose career ended at age 48 with a labour dispute on Wapping High Street in 1987. A "real East Londoner born within earshot of the Bow Bells", he fought the resurgence of fascism around Ridley Road Market with the 62 Group and got bruised, whilst mourning the death of his and nana's first newborn, in battles against Oswold Mosely.

He tells stories of how he fell in love with Nana in 1961 to a soundtrack of Marvin Gaye. They triumphed against melancholy and fell deeper in love. In 1966, they celebrated the World Cup win for England together, of which West Ham players were an integral factor!

Having spent the summer away from my parents, I am inspired by the community and political strength of my grandparents. I collide with my parents' capitalist complicity - working in government and global trade; they mock my uncle who gave himself earnestly and entirely to the rave scene of Lea Valley." Soundbites of the family members: • A phone call to the lodger - shopping in Ilford as a Pakistani woman • Grandson - Teenage Frustrations • Grandad - The History Of An East London Print Worker • Nana - A Nigerian Matriarch • Uncle - Cultural History Of The East London Rave Scene • Mum - Affluence, Influence & Merit • Lodger - Far From Home • Bonus

Nana's House was created by lead curator Dr Leila Nassereldein and co-curated by community members Pallavi Chamarty, Omolara Obanishola, Dave Sohanpal and Anh Tran. Supported by Dr Michael McMillan

Artist's works featured around the living room: • Poppy Frean • Sahira Khan • Mercedes Halliday • Shama Kun • Brahim Bendaoud • Lydia Wood • Asim Khairdean • Toyin Gbomedo • John Curtis Films on the TV: • Looking for You - Anna Nguyen & Kristine Landon Smith • Sonia's Whitechapel - Hend Draz, Maya Leonavicius, Fangjiao Liu, Jake London, Angela Josephine Smith & Claire Wasson with special thanks to Sonia Sylvester • Radical Nostalgias - Mercedes Halliday • To Style a Life for Oneself (trailer) - Omolara Obanishola • Dress For Our Time: In conversation with Helen Storey and Michael Saunby - Helen Storey • Drawing Reality - TIGERs • Tarek’s Story - David Betteridge • Reflections from Za’atar - Helen Storey Special thanks to Sahira, Lord Tusk, Theresa, Tony Sullivan, Lee McKarkiel, Furniture Reuse, The Dovetail, Popup Garden Bookshop and Niquelle LaTouche Oct 2023 - Jan 2024

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DIY upcycling fabrics 101 - weave a mini wall hanging and coaster - workshop facilitator

As part of the Traces: Stories of Migration public programme I was invited to do a weaving workshop with Bow Arts Trust. I sourced fabrics to be upcycled and collected branches from local green areas and cardboard for the looms. Participants made either a mini wall hanging or coaster from them. I wanted the workshop to be a chilled and mediative afternoon where we would just weave to slow down and be away from our phones. Thanking everyone who joined my first weaving workshop and I was so proud of everyone's creativity on the day. Thanking Bow Arts for this workshop opportunity, Yodomo for the threads, Lauren for donating many tees and to Seung Sing, Shama and Lauren for support on the day. Aug 2023

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Flour & Mush (人生總有堆肥) by Emily Wong - Props & Embroidery on papers

Flour & Mush is a stop-motion animation by Hong Kong animator Emily Wong. Production started in 2019 and Emily hoped to find ways to communicate the troubled times and to create meaning. The film is about an encounter between a sack of flour and a broken tree trunk—depicting unexpectedness in everyday life. 製作於 2019 年的香港，希望能在亂世當中尋找創造意義。故事講述一袋麵粉和一根斷裂樹幹之間的相遇—描繪了日常生活中的無法預期。

I had the privilege of working with Emily as an amateur props maker in her Hong Kong studio in 2020 making baskets, flour bags, fishes and fruit and veg and then remotely in London, UK making 100+ embroideries on paper. It was a joy to work on a project that I didn't have experience in and gain the confidence and courage to create outside of my comfort zone, its been one of the best projects I've ever worked on and I'm so happy to share it with you. Forever thankful to Emily for seeing the potential in me and trusting me to create and be part of her visual world. 2022

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明 Ming Hai 海 Zine - design, research, text & illustration

Ming Hai is a 34 year old Chinese takeaway in Hackney, London UK, run by the Chan family. All the family members contributed stories or illustrations and photos from the archives about what it is like to live and work in a Chinese takeaway, whether as an immigrant or a second-generation takeaway kid. This zine is a love letter to the takeaway and to takeaway kids worldwide. After the amazing response to the first edition and running low on zines, I decided to do a second edition but instead of a straight reprint, this edition comes with additional content and a sticker. An independent published zine by kamipaper. • A5 Landscape • English and a tiny bit of Cantonese • 24 pages full colour • 200-250gsm recycled card cover • 100gsm recycled paper • Shop front sticker

Special thanks to: - Lauren Siobhan - Vivien Chan - Rio Cinema Archives  - Isola Press  - Alan Denney 

Available at: • Migration Museum - Lewisham, London UK • Museum of the Home - Hoxton, London UK • Housmans Bookshop - Kings Cross, London UK • Burley Fisher Books - Haggerston, London UK • Books - Peckham, London UK • Migration Museum - Lewisham, London UK • Hackney Chinese Community Services - Hackney, London UK • The Steamroom - Haggerston, London UK • Pushkin House - Bloomsbury, London UK • South London Gallery - Peckham, London UK • Ming Hai Takeaway - Hackney, London UK • Newbridge Projects - Newcastle upon Tyne, UK • Wing On Wo & Co - New York, USA • kamipaper Etsy Shop  - Worldwide

May 2023

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Generation Hope - Veg Scraps Print Notebook Workshop - workshop facilitator

Generation Hope: Act for the Planet was a week-long festival at the Natural History Museum in March 2023. A series of programming partnering with young people to take meaningful action for the planet. I was invited by Food Wave (an international community of young people who want to create awareness of sustainable approaches to consuming and producing food in our cities) to do a workshop. I did two free drop-in workshops, where I collected donated veg scraps from an East London restaurant and the participants would print these shapes and textures on card food packaging (that I had also collected from a local community) and we would then stitch it into a mini notebook that the participants could take home with them. I wanted the participants to have a souvenir they made that would inspire them to recreate at home and to rethink how they could use food scraps and food packaging creatively, so I made sure to use tools and materials that most homes would have at home. The used veg scraps were collected at the end of each workshop which I would take home and compost in my garden. Thank you to What The Fork, Food Wave and Natural History Museum for this opportunity to do workshops in an amazing space and environment. March 2023

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Green Lunar New Year - Veg Scraps Print Notebook Workshop - workshop facilitator

To celebrate the Lunar New Year 2023, ESEA Green Lions (community climate group) teamed up with Museum of the Home to create Green Lunar New Year, a day to celebrate East & South East Asian celebrations and climate consciousness. There was talks, films, activities, artist workshops, supper clubs and a makers market. kamipaper did a free whole day drop in workshop, where participants used donated veggie scraps from a local Hackney restaurant to print the shapes and textures onto upcycled pre-cut food card packaging covers, and then folded some recycled paper for the inside and did a simple bookbinding stitch. They ended up with a creative upcycled mini notebook that they can take home with them and kamipaper hopes they can think of creative ways to reuse waste at home instead of throwing them straight into the bin or recycling. East & South East Asian Creatives involved in the programme: • Celestial Peach • Chef KG • April Lin 林森 • Henri Affandi • Four Winds Mahjong • Rachel Chak • Angela YT Chan • Nina Mingya Powles • Amy Leung • Little Egg Crafts • Birdsong • YukFun • EARTH.er • Emma HJ Yuan • Definitely Jenny • Kim Chin • kamipaper

Jan 2023

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Sourced Presents: Rotten Fun, A Celebration of Rot Zine - illustrations, photos, design & layout

• 170x240mm • 32 black & white printed pages • Articles by SOURCED • Illustrations, photos & design layouts by Anh Tran

SOURCED is a public research project by Dr. Anna Sulan Masing and Chloe-Rose Crabtree, which aims at developing lines of inquiry into our relationships with food and drink. SOURCED investigates the way ingredients are sourced to push the food and drinks industry towards change.

For their second birthday celebration in September 2022, they held the event in collaboration with Food Wave at e5 Bakehouse with workshops, talks and food and drink celebrating all things ROT. They had dedicated a whole season on it and discussed rot from various angles: the science behind it, the organisms that thrive on it, the communities (microbial and human) that develop from it. They wanted to create their first ever zine which has rot articles with recipes in it to give away for free at the event, so I had the pleasure of materialising it. Fun fact: the cover photos are taken from my own compost bins with the worms working hard to break down food waste and dead leaves from my garden. Thanks to Anna, Chloe, Food Wave and What the Fork for this amazing opportunity where the content was so rich and interesting.

Sept 2022

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Food Action Now - Veg Scraps Print Notebook Workshop - workshop facilitator

In July 2022, ReLondon X Food Wave, hosted a 3 day Food Action Now event in Angel Central, London. A weekend of free workshops, events and talks focusing on food waste and sustainability to encourage young people to think about a sustainable approach to food waste and how we shop, eat and grow food. I did a 2 hour drop in workshop where participants used veg scraps (such as the tops and bottoms that would usually get thrown away) that I had sourced from a local restaurant, which we then printed their shapes and textures onto collected cardboard food packaging to create colourful covers. We then made them into mini notebooks that they could all take home, I wanted to encourage them to think of different creative ways to use these items that would normally just get thrown in the bin and give them a second life. I was happily overwhelmed with all the creative prints and drawings that the participants did and engaging in good conversations with them, particularly with parents who came with their kids who said they would try it at home and the girl who came especially as she has anxiety and wanted to do something therapeutic and engaging with the community. I ended up taking all the veg scraps home to my compost bin and I’m waiting for them to turn into rich soil, for its second life. July 2022