Photo Hanoi ’25 | Exhibition “to see or to be seen”

Opening: 03 pm, Wed 05 Nov 2025
Exhibition: 05 – 19 Nov 2025
3rd floor, Complex 01
29 lane 31 alley 167 Tây Sơn, Đống Đa, Hà Nội

From Biennale Photo Hanoi:

Since the early 1990s, German photographer Birgit Kleber has been capturing portraits of fellow photographers in the series “Photographers”. Over three decades, this series has brought together over 100 portraits, forming a vivid visual chronicle of photography itself. Kleber’s compositions draw attention to the subject’s eyes — where fleeting expressions emerge, moments supposed to last only for a blink are seized and preserved in the photograph’s still eternity.

For the series “Việt-Đức: 20 Gesichter, 20 Geschichten”, Birgit Kleber portrayed 20 remarkable German-Vietnamese individuals. The series sheds light on a topic still not often presented in the public perception and inspires future generations. Each portrait is the result of a shared attitude between the artist and her subject.

Presented side by side in the exhibition “to see or to be seen”, “Photographers” seem to represent the observer, while “20 Geschiter” the observed. Yet once photographed, every subject simultaneously sees and is seen. By placing the nature of the medium alongside the identity of its subjects, the exhibition poses a question that has echoed since the dawn of modern society: What does it mean to see and to be seen? And how can we ensure that more diverse voices and faces continue to be seen, heard, and valued?

The exhibition “to see or to be seen” is part of Photo Hanoi ’25 International Photography Biennale.

Photo Hanoi is an international photography biennale, initiated and coordinated by the French Institute in Vietnam since 2021. Held every two years, the event operates under the patronage of the Hanoi People’s Committee. For its 2025 edition, the French Institute in Vietnam and the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports are co-organizing Photo Hanoi ’25, with support from UNESCO and a wide network of local and international partners. The biennale aims to position Hanoi as a vibrant and inspiring destination for photography enthusiasts from Vietnam and around the world.

Follow updates on event’s page.