When I was when we were
17 – 30/12/2023
High Voltage Power Station – Zone 33B, Gia Lam Railway Factory
551 Nguyen Van Cu, Gia Thuy, Long Bien, Hanoi
Information from Hanoi Creative City & Design:
Introducing the works of two young photographers, Dan and Nguyen Minh Hoang, who capture different aspects of the young generation. In a society shaped by unprecedented speed of development, where people are forced to adapt to a fast-paced life, moments of slowing down to reflect are becoming increasingly rare. The lack of reflection pushes us into an endless trance amid distorted perceptions of time and gradually leads to disorientation.
Dan uses the images she takes every day to capture the fragility of youth. Dan’s work “I am everywhere” is an attempt to define the paradoxical nature of youthful vitality, when everything sometimes seems heavy but at the same time completely ephemeral. The dreamy, cute, carefree aesthetic is questioned by the subject of the photograph. A mixture of reality, expectation, and expression confuses the viewer and reminds us that the ideal images projected in the era of social media can be far from our true selves.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Minh Hoang seeks a more focused approach to the subject of youth, but keeps himself at a certain distance. Hoang deals with the ambiguity of personal emotions through the practice of photography. The 30 photographs taken between 2016 and 2018 are the result of the artist’s personal observations of Vietnamese social reality. Upon returning to Vietnam from abroad, Hoang faced a sense of loss, disorientation, and the challenge of adapting to an environment that had changed so rapidly since his absence. Hoang’s perspective is composed of layers of grief and loss. Each photograph is a representation of the inner struggles and resilience he discovered within himself.
The exhibition will also feature Zelda – a writer whose works include “Giua ai, va ai, khong ai” (Between someone, someone, noone) published in 2016.
The exhibition “Khi ta da tung | When I was when we were” invites viewers to take a step back, spend a few minutes of silence to reflect in a world that is constantly changing. This is the first time that the works of both photographers have been presented in Hanoi.
The exhibition is curated by Nguyen Hai Nam.
The production team: Nguyen Bich Dao, Nguyen Tu Hang, Tran Thao Mien, Nguyen Hong Anh
About the artist:
Dan began his journey of preserving memories through images in 2014, experimenting with different materials during the film development process, images that often bring unexpected results. Since late 2014, Dan has participated in the Humans of Hanoi project – which focuses on humanistic stories revolving around Hanoi culture from a personal perspective. Through his photography practice, Dan collaborates with projects from creative cultural spaces, supporting local design brands such as Collective Sonson, Đồ Chơi Chữ, Khê, Phong The O Room, Miilk, etc. Currently, Dan is a member of Hanoi Grapevine – the largest creative cultural media space for cultural and artistic events in Vietnam.
Nguyen Minh Hoang received a master’s degree in Experimental Reportage from Duke University, USA. Hoang chooses for himself a photography approach that encompasses both reality and concept. He uses self-portraits to connect himself with the outside world, to approach and learn about people, objects, historical or contemporary events, and surreal ideas. When he is not taking photos of himself, he takes photos of thrilling close-ups in everyday life around him.
‘Giua ai, và ai, không ai’ is the name of Zelda’s postcard photo book, talking about the uncertain moments in the unnamed love relationships of young people. ‘Giua ai, và ai, không ai’ uses images taken with film cameras in many places Zelda and her friend have been to, interspersed with poems taken from two poetry collections “ Và để cơn mưa nằm yên” (Literature Publishing House, 2015, reprinted) and “Lúc nào cũng là quá muộn” (Women’s Publishing House, 2016, reprinted). The photo book series was published in 2016 by the Vietnamese Student Newspaper Publishing House – Hoa Hoc Tro, with a limited edition of 5,000 copies and has been sold out.
About the curator:
Nguyen Hai Nam graduated with a BA in Art History and Media Science from Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and a BA in Photography from the University of Graphic Arts and Book Design (Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig – HGB). In 2019, Hai Nam received a Curatorial Scholarship and became a curatorial assistant for the Leipzig Museum of Contemporary Art (GfZK). He is currently an independent curator and manager of the AntiRaQua educational project, while also conducting research at the HKW Cultural Institute, Germany.
The 2023 Hanoi Creative Design Festival is organized by the Hanoi People’s Committee and the Vietnam Association of Architects, by the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, the Architecture Magazine, and the UNESCO Representative Office in Vietnam.
