Photography Exhibition “Hanoi: Traces of Time”
Exhibition: 09 Oct – 09 Dec 2026
Artist Talk: 10 AM, Sat 10 Oct 2026
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
15 Ngô Quyền, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
From the organizer:
As part of its 125th anniversary celebrations, the landmark Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel has acquired for its private collection a curated set of 16 signed, limited-edition photographic prints by British photographer Andy Soloman, to be known as The Soloman Metropole Collection.
The exhibition, “Hanoi: Traces of Time” will be exhibited at the hotel from 9th October – 9th December, 2026 and forms part of the ongoing commitment to the cultural heritage of Hanoi by collecting and sharing significant artistic perspectives on Vietnam.
The Soloman Metropole Collection offers a distinctive visual record of everyday life in Hanoi, with photographs spanning streets, markets, schools, factories, and everyday life. Each work is printed on Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre Pearl archival photographic paper, mounted, framed, signed, and individually editioned, underscoring the collection’s importance within the Metropole’s permanent holdings.
Andy will also host an Artist’s Talk on Saturday 10th October at the Metropole when he will share stories of his travels in Vietnam in 1992-93 and his subsequent quest to find people again more than three decades later. Admission to the talk is complimentary and reservations can be made via
Eventbrite.
Andy Soloman said:
“Vietnam has been central to my photography for many years, and the images in this collection come from encounters and moments that have stayed with me. I’m delighted that Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi has acquired the collection and is exhibiting as part of the hotel’s 125th anniversary celebrations, in the city that inspired these photographs. It’s a privilege to see these works find a permanent home at the Metropole while being shared with guests.”
George Koumendakos, General Manager of Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, said:
“As we mark our 125th anniversary, we are deepening our relationship with art and with the cultural heritage of Hanoi. Acquiring and exhibiting the Andy Soloman collection is an important part of this journey. These photographs capture the character and rhythm of life in Hanoi with great sensitivity, and they enrich both our art collection and the experience of our guests during this milestone year and beyond.”
The exhibition of the newly acquired collection forms one element of the hotel’s wider 125th anniversary programme.
The collection features images such as Early Morning Exercise (1992); Mid-Autumn Festival vendor (1997); Cyclo Drivers in Hanoi’s Old Quarter (1992); Vietnamese Heroic Mothers (1997); Dong Xuan Market (1992); and Bia hoi delivery by cyclo (1997). Together they form a coherent body of work that speaks to memory, place, cultural heritage and and everyday experiences in Vietnam.
About Andy Soloman
Andy Soloman is a British photographer who first arrived in Hanoi in October 1992, aged 30, as a photojournalist from London. He travelled extensively across Vietnam, photographing everyday life, but Hanoi captured his heart. After living and working in Hanoi, he joined Reuters in 1997. Today, he divides his time between the UK and Vietnam, focusing on travel and fine-art photography. His current project, Continuum: Vietnam, revisits people he first photographed in 1992–93.
About Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
A prominent fixture in the heart of Hanoi since 1901, Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi has a long tradition as a luxury venue for prestigious events and a popular rendezvous for business and leisure travellers such as playwrights, ambassadors, royalty and heads of state. Blending colonial heritage with neo-classical luxury and a dash of modernity, the hotel is the first Sofitel Legend in the world and the recipient of numerous international awards for its fine service and enchanting ambiance. This legendary landmark has contributed to the richness of local heritage.
The hotel includes 358 rooms that are divided into two wings – the Heritage Wing, dating back to 1901, and the neo-classical Opera Wing. There are three legendary suites that are named after famous residents and visitors to the hotel (Graham Greene, Charlie Chaplin, Somerset Maugham).
