This is the title of a newly published photo book by the husband and wife photography artists Truong Hoang Them and Do Thuy Mai. Featuring 111 selected works from thousands of photographs taken throughout their careers, the book is a showcase of light and color, with central themes: The S-shaped land of Vietnam, Familiar shapes, and A performance of light. "The Voice of Color" won the Gold Medal at the 2023 Outstanding Photography Award of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists.
In the book's introduction, writer Nguyen Ngoc Tu wrote: "For an artist, every work is precious, nurtured with much sweat and effort. It was not easy for the artists Hoang Them and Thuy Mai to choose 111 images from thousands in their creative careers to include in this publication 'as a memento,' as they themselves expressed. Born from a simple intention, the book is not so humble, for many moments are preserved like amber, even when the scenes and people outside have faded with time. Each work is like a lasting memory, one that even the cruelest time must yield to. Faced with so many images distilled and imbued with light and color by the artists, it is difficult to simply skim through this book."
Slowly, whispering, sometimes with joyful exclamations, each work, without intentionally trying to impress, speaks its own voice. And the order of these works seems not accidental, for even after closing the book, the silence still lingers…”
The artist couple Truong Hoang Them and Do Thuy Mai have made many contributions to the art of photography with their outstanding works. Photographer Truong Hoang Them has been awarded the title of Outstanding Photographer (E.VAPA/G) and Outstanding Artist of the International Federation of Photographic Art (EFIAP). As for photographer Do Thuy Mai, she was the first female photographer in the Mekong Delta region to be admitted as a member of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists (in 1998) and a member of the International Federation of Photographic Art (EFIAP).
Photographer Truong Hoang Them is the Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial Association of Literature and Arts. He was elected as a member of the Executive Committee and Standing Committee of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists for three consecutive terms: V, VI, and VII. He has many excellent initiatives and has made positive contributions to guiding the development of the photography movement nationwide, affirming the trends and prospects of Vietnamese photography in the new era. Photographer Le Hong Linh said: “Usually, when artists transition to management work, their work gradually declines, or they no longer have the conditions to create. But with photographer Truong Hoang Them, it's an exception. The more he participates in the Association's work, the more he travels, takes many photos, and produces many new and unique works with high artistic and intellectual value.” In this book, readers have the opportunity to admire many of his outstanding works such as "My Thuan Bridge", "Beauty of the Highlands", "The Hmong King's Mansion", "Bright Spots", "Ca Mau Cape", "Rach Tau Fishing Village", "Sparkling Silver Rock", "Cat Ba Landscape", "Ca Mau Children's Village", "Sapa in the Clouds"...
Meanwhile, photographer Do Thuy Mai has a special affection for women and children. They represent a world filled with emotions, love, and compassion. For "Angels," she went in and out of the hospital many times until she captured the moment of birth of three newborns, each with a different expression that evokes deep emotion in viewers, a pure and adorable beauty. "Drought," taken in 1999, presents a contrasting image of tiny people against the scorching sun on the vast, cracked earth. Through works in books such as "Flower Age,"
“Rain in the Forest,” “A Prayer,” “New Construction,” “Folk Dance,” “Mending Nets”… demonstrate her diverse creative abilities. In 2018, she was the only female photographer to participate in the “First Artistic Nude Photography Exhibition” held in Hanoi with her work “Lines of Creation.”
Photographer Thuy Mai shared: “My husband and I make a living as journalists. From the journalistic environment, we naturally entered the field of art photography, gradually developing a love and passion for it. Throughout the length and breadth of Vietnam, we have had the opportunity to encounter and capture many moments of the country and its people... Whether by chance, spontaneously, or planned from pre-drawn ideas, the landscapes of our homeland and the everyday people with their many emotions always occupy the center of our work.”
With their burning passion for photography, photography enthusiasts both domestically and internationally will undoubtedly continue to enjoy the harmonious blend of colors and light created by this talented couple of photographers.
Article by: Tien Dung
Photos: Do Thuy Mai - Truong Hoang Them
Design: Khanh Linh
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