Photographer Boris Zuliani started his photography career in Hanoi in 2007, before moving to Hoi An, where he devoted himself to researching wet plate photography techniques. Together with his assistant Hugo Armano, Boris Zuliani built a photography studio in the middle of a rice field in Dien Ban (Da Nang).

Here, he does every step from mixing chemicals to creating the work. His photos are often of local people. Through that, the photos have a genuine, raw look, preserving the soul of the character.

Photographer Boris Zuliani (center) at the exhibition.

Boris’s efforts contribute to the revival of artisanal photography in Vietnam and are a tribute to traditional photographic processes. The exhibition “Timeless Reflections” presents three of his photo series: Daydreams, Itinerant Vendors and Wanted!

The Daydreams series is a series of photos taken using wet plate and double exposure techniques, depicting the world of thoughts and dreams. Each frame is like a window into the inner landscape - where light, lines and composition blend, creating a blurred space between reality and dreams. In contrast, the Itinerant Vendors series captures the rustic beauty of street vendors on the streets of Vietnam. Each 50x50cm glass photo is a slice of everyday life, where determination, labor and pride appear in shimmering silver light. As for the Wanted! series, photographer Boris Zuliani collaborated with Mot Met Studio and Kyara Arthouse Hoi An to honor the artisans who contributed to building the Kyara creative space during the pandemic. Each portrait is a tribute to the hard work and collective spirit.

Visitors to the exhibition "Timeless Reflections".

Through the exhibition, visitors can admire the aesthetic beauty and unique expressive power of wet collodion photography. While digital photography strives for perfection, collodion celebrates scratches, errors and natural tones, creating beauty that arises from imperfection itself. Each photograph is imbued with the human touch, a living presence of memory and emotion.

In parallel with the exhibition, Boris also carried out the project “mobile photography” within the framework of Photo Hanoi ’25, expressing the unique aesthetic personality and timeless beauty of the wet plate technique. The project is a tribute to an ancient technique, while also giving the public a rare experience: Seeing time “appear” on glass through the artist’s hands.

News and photos: THAI PHUONG

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    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/van-hoc-nghe-thuat/khai-mac-trien-lam-phan-chieu-vo-thoi-1011132