Armelle DG loves Vietnam until the next life

THAT IMAGE IS NOT JUST A BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES…

Mr. Nicolas Warnery, when he was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Vietnam, actively fostered people-to-people diplomacy between Vietnam and France, and was awarded the medal "For Peace and Friendship among Nations" by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) in 2023. As her husband's "rear", Armelle DG also has her own way of expressing her love for Vietnam, which is to record images of her trips to explore and learn about Vietnamese customs and practices across the length of the country.

Armelle interacts with leaders of Ho Chi Minh City Museum and Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History in solo exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City

When Mr. Nicolas Warnery came to Vietnam to take up the post of French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City for the 2004-2007 term, Armelle followed her husband and children to "settle" in the new land. Her love for Vietnam grew even deeper when Armelle met director and writer Nguyen Thi Xuan Phuong, who showed Armelle and her family special affection by introducing her friends, colleagues, and other interesting aspects of Vietnam in terms of culture, art, history, music , painting, architecture, people, etc. The two became so close that when talking about Mrs. Xuan Phuong, Armelle was moved to say: "I consider Madame Phuong as my second mother".

Simple, everyday moments of Vietnam create the emotional "Vietnam I love"

Living in Vietnam, the beauty of everyday life through Armelle's experiences gradually unfolded over time, including the occasions when she met Professor Tran Van Khe - who inspired Armelle and her children a lot about their love and appreciation of traditional Vietnamese music. Both the trips across the Mekong Delta, to the wandering journey in the scorching Central region, or the excursions to the highlands in the remote Northeast - Northwest... Every time she met a character, every journey to find a new land, Armelle kept the images, with a simple reason: "Photography captures moments, those images are not only beautiful memories, but also help me tell the story of Vietnam today to international friends".

Admire the beauty of Ban Gioc waterfall, Cao Bang through Armelle's panorama camera angle

Armelle had the opportunity to be attached to Vietnam again when Mr. Nicolas Warnery was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Vietnam for the 2019-2023 term. Armelle followed her husband to Hanoi, continuing to travel throughout Vietnam to add to her rich photo collection. After 8 years, Armelle's photo collection has been materialized with more than 50,000 photos. Armelle proudly said: "I focus on the themes of landscapes, architecture, festivals, daily life, especially portraits of indigenous people that I have been fortunate to meet."

Looking at Armelle's portrait collection, you will see people from all ethnicities, classes, regions... Although different in age, clothing, geographical location..., it is not difficult to recognize that among them, there is a common spirit of gentleness, joy, love and friendliness.

ANSWERS TO FUTURE EMOTIONS

Before leaving Vietnam (late 2023), Armelle selected more than 70 photographic works with the theme "Le Viet Nam Que J'Aime" (Vietnam I Love) for a solo exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City with the reason: "To thank those who gave me the opportunity to take photos and talk with them, many of whom are now my friends. And also to show foreigners a different Vietnam, through the photos and the stories behind those images". Chong Lim Ang, 67 years old, Singaporean, was surprised when seeing Armelle's work of Ban Gioc waterfall: "I have been to Ban Gioc waterfall, but from a different angle. I admire the photographer because to have such a majestic panorama, it takes a lot of effort and time to find a position, and a lot of passion to be able to do it".

Armelle DG and her second "mother", director Nguyen Thi Xuan Phuong (95 years old)

After its debut in Ho Chi Minh City, “Vietnam I Love” followed Armelle to France, premiered at the New Vietnamese Cultural Center in Paris, and had another solo exhibition at the Du Côté de Chez Loan gallery of cultural researcher Loan de Fontbrune. Asked about the times introducing the beauty of Vietnam abroad, Armelle expressed: “When exhibiting in Vietnam, I am very proud, secure and confident because most of the people around me are Vietnamese, I show them my feelings about Vietnam through images. But with exhibitions outside of Vietnam, I am really stressed and worried, because there are many viewers who do not know much about Vietnam, so I will be the storyteller, helping them understand more about Vietnam through each photographic work I make.”

Each photo has a story behind it for Armelle to tell about a beautiful Vietnam.

Currently, Mr. Nicolas Warnery has taken on a new assignment as the French Ambassador to Romania. In the last contact with Armelle, she excitedly shared: “I have just selected 14 photographic works taken in Vietnam for the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to Romania, Do Duc Thanh, to display during the National Day celebration on September 2. After that, we will organize a larger exhibition in November at a location about 2 hours drive from the capital Bucharest. I am very happy and proud that the Vietnamese Ambassador loves the photos I took.”

With more than 50,000 photos of Vietnam, but since the beginning of 2024, Armelle has planned to return to Vietnam in October, with a busy schedule from Ho Chi Minh City - Hue - Hanoi and the provinces of the East - Northwest. She revealed that the destination not to be missed is Hoang Su Phi, a place with majestic and wild mountains and forests, with magical terraced fields and people of 12 highland ethnic groups living together; even more attractive is the primeval ancient tea forest under the peak of Chieu Lau Thi that Armelle once crossed the forest and streams to find, and since then she has become addicted to the flavor of ancient Shan tea in this rugged highland.

“Vietnam I love” has been accompanying Armelle through many new lands.

When asked about her love for Vietnam, Armelle immediately gave an answer about the future: "If there really is an afterlife, I would like to be a Hoang Su Phi person."

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/armelle-dg-yeu-viet-nam-den-kiep-sau-185240824173129598.htm