- 01 June - Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

Mirror? If the river could speak, a photography exhibition will open at 4:30pm at the outdoor exhibition area of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. This exhibition is the result of a project that brings together community, environment, youth, and creativity. 19 young photographers from the Youth Union of Thinh Quang ward in Hanoi worked under the guidance of Paul Zetter, director of Ensemble Creative Training and Development, and Action for the City, a local NGO with a passion for the city. The project was funded by the SIDA Environmental Fund.

Mirror? If the river could speak

01 June - 31 Aug

Opening - Sun 01 June, 4.30 pm

Mirror? uses the technique of photovoice, a community-building methodology that aims to deepen and enrich a person’s engagement with their community at different levels, both personal and social. The end product of mainstream photography projects—the photographs—becomes secondary in photovoice where a renewed sense of engagement in the community, the making of new relationships and personal growth are the primary goals.

The project focused on building the participant’s confidence, self esteem and self expression so they feel confident to use basic cameras as a tool of enquiry—a mirror for their new awareness and interest to rediscover their community. The cameras were basic and the photography training rudimentary to minimize pressure to take ‘beautiful’ photographs at the expense of full engagement with the community.

60 photographs will be displayed at the exhibition. The main subject of Mirror? is the To Lich River, famous for its past beauty and present pollution. Some pictures in this exhibition expose the raw and filthy aspects of the river while others depict hope and humor. The questions asked by all of them are, “If the river could speak, what would it say? Is the river a reflection of our lives?” The exhibition invites the viewers to reflect on issues that face the city.

Before this exhibition, Mirror? was displayed at the Thinh Quang Primary School and Thai Thinh Junior Secondary School. The current exhibition has been redesigned and reprinted for display at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. The exhibition will be open from 1 June through 31 August 2008.