PHOTO HANOI’23 in Retrospect & Opportunities for 2025
Writen by Phan Dan & ULy
Photos provided by organiser
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The International Photography Biennale Photo Hanoi, organized by the French Institute with the sponsorship of the Hanoi People’s Committee, ended its second season impressively with countless exciting photography activities within a month and a half, from April 21 to June 3, 2023, and some exhibitions that lasted through July 2023. More than 20 exhibitions from over 100 local and foreign artists were showcased across the city, together with talk shows, art tours with curators, film screenings, and workshops, making it an unprecedented playground for the field of photography in Hanoi.
The biennale Photo Hanoi’23 is a spectacular storytelling tool about life: from the gentle touch of heritage photography and contemporary photography, from unpublished works about an old Hanoi, to works reflecting social changes of Hanoi, Germany, Japan, Cuba,… and to modern photography, where the methods of expression are limitless.
Photo Hanoi’23 is likewise an encounter between Vietnamese and international photography. In comparison to Photo Hanoi’21 two years ago, the scale is much larger this time thanks to a lot of support from home and abroad, from individuals and organizations. There is a diverse range of locations, activities, phương thức và nội dung truyền tải, fields of interest, and nationalities of participants.
For the first time in history, Hanoi residents have envisioned an international biennial photography festival. Photo Hanoi’23 has established a foundation as well as an important set of principles for future photography events.
Enhancing the festival’s vision and expertise
Photo Hanoi’23 has become Vietnam’s only large-scale and international meeting point for photographers of all generations from Vietnam, France, and other countries. Before Photo Hanoi’23, photographer Hoang The Nhiem only visited Hanoi for a day or two and then left. Still, when Photo Hanoi’23 was held, he lingered for a few more days to attend exhibitions, listen to presentations, and discuss ideas with others. Another example is photographer Hai Thanh, who lives in Saigon but was “stationed” in Hanoi for a week to exhibit and host workshops.
The Hanoi photographic community has witnessed an intersection of all ages and levels, of seniors and novices, of those who have achieved major success and those who still have a lot of ignorance about photography. Photo Hanoi’23 has created a platform for experienced photographers born in the 40s and 50s, such as Nguyen Xuan Khanh and Nguyen Huu Bao, to meet and exchange ideas with the younger generation of 90s photographers, such as curator Mai Nguyen Anh and reporter Le Thi Thach Thao.
Many events have provided insightful knowledge to various audience groups, clearly reflecting the aim of the organizers. In addition to workshops that enhance photography expertise, there are talk shows that promote the vision of development. Some notable examples include the talk “Journey of Female Photographers” which promoted gender equality while also celebrating the diversity and talent of female photographers; the talk “Photography: Major International Events and Art Market” which assisted listeners in recognizing opportunities to attract tourists and investment to the city from both regional and worldwide photography experts and organizers; or the talk “Creative Photography in Higher Education” that emphasized the necessity of photography in higher art education on par with other art courses.
Various “dishes” for the audience
Tourists visiting Hanoi at the time of such events felt as if they were in an unusual buffet. A lot of feelings and knowledge are delivered through the stories told by photography.
From a transforming Hanoi during the years from 1914 to 1915 when local culture coexisted with French culture but strived not to lose its essential essence as depicted via the nostalgic photographs by Léon Busy, or a Hanoi embracing loss and pain while remaining resilient during the post-war recovery period in William Crawford’s photographs from 1985 to 2015; to a Hanoi in the process of modernization as shown by the collaboration of two sets of works by artists William Crawford and Nguyen The Son. An innovative Hanoi that is full of vitality and stagnant points, making lots of people fall in love with its beauty and diversity that were portrayed through the artistic eye of paintings from the exhibition “Hanoi – A City in Photography” by Vietnamese and international artists.
From Hanoi to entire Vietnam with stories in the form of visual diaries in the works of photographer Hai Thanh, who express feelings through “places”, and in “Vietnam’s Cultural Diversity”, a combined exhibition of 100 photographers from different ages and regions.
From Vietnam to the World in frames by Diego Ortiz Mugica, Robert Doisneau, Adrian Sauer, Hải Thanh, Bert Danckaert, and the late artist Diego Cortizas. The world is rich and inventive, and it is still within our grasp.
From panoramic views into the innermost thoughts of each human being in the exhibitions “Revived” and “In Search of Lost Time Searching”, which are multi-national visual records, and “Orange Wounds” by Elodie Ledure and “When I Miss You, Má” by Duy Phuong.
Diversity in methods of expression with the exhibitions “MAY”, “Beyond the visible, seeing the unseen”, “A Decade of Exposure”, “Finding Parkinson’s” and “Fashion Photography”…
By hosting a huge and diverse number of events, the organizers of Photo Hanoi’23 have shown their professional, rigorous, yet incredibly flexible working style. The full event schedule is regularly and logically updated on the fanpage with vivid photos, perfectly demonstrating the spirit of photography. The event venues span the whole center of the capital. With endless events and easy transportation, visitors can travel without pause in a magnificent photography marathon.
The exhibitions, workshops, and panel discussions are professionally and meticulously planned. From the ancient breath of 22 Hang Buom’s cultural legacy to the sleek minimalism of contemporary settings like VCCA, Matca, and Hanoi Studio, and then onto the streets in a series of vibrant fashion photographs, all of which display works that range in substance and expression.
Expanding the future of photography for 2025
Overall, Hanoi Photo’23 was a huge success. Although not flawless, it has opened a door to photography, allowing anybody, regardless of age, career, or gender, to advance their studies. The event has enabled new partnerships and boldness in practice outside Vietnam’s boundaries. Nearly 1,000 works have been displayed, enjoyed, understood, welcomed and developed, paving the way for many more in the future. As of June 3, 2023, the impressive numbers of Photo Hanoi’23 include 170,000 visitors to the exhibition, 10,000 people attending offline and online discussions, over 200 articles, and over 5 million views on social networks,… raising expectations for Photo Hanoi’25. In two years, we shall know how far Vietnamese photography has progressed and what boundaries it has “touched.”
