Face to Face

Opening: Wed 25 Feb, 6pm at Goethe Institut
Exhibition: 26 Feb-06 02 Mar 2009

Photographs from Thanh Hoa, Vietnam

A unique community initiative empowering sixteen people with disabilities from Thanh Hoa province to tell their own stories using digital photography.

Click on the image above for a larger version.

Face to Face is a collaboration between the German Development Service, DED, the Association For People With Disabilities and Orphans, Thanh Hoa, ensemble creative training and development and the Schmitz Foundation.

Over the course of 5 months in 2008, the 16 participants took over 8000 photographs in and around their communities in both urban and rural areas using consumer level digital cameras. Coming from a variety of backgrounds and jobs such as farmer, tailor, electrician, factory worker, unemployed and manager, the participants have created images which give us a rich and authentic insight into their lives and challenge the viewer to rethink and refresh stereotypical views about people living with disabilities in Vietnam.

A Face to Face catalogue documenting all the photos in the exhibition and the project will also be available at the opening.

After attending the opening ceremony, the 16 participants will be hosting meetings with government, civil society groups and other photographers to engage in dialogue about the challenges and opportunities of living with a disability in Vietnam today.