Standing on the rooftop of the Renaissance Riverside Hotel (District 1, now part of Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) in 2007, Fred Wissink witnessed the unfinished Thu Thiem Bridge and the bustling ferry terminals. Nearly 20 years later, the peninsula has risen with modern skyscrapers, a testament to a city constantly striving for development.
The Canadian photographer chose to live with the vibrancy, loving the fiery orange of the post-rain sky in the city. He recounts the two-decade journey of an "outsider" who fell passionately in love with the relentless movement of Ho Chi Minh City.
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Fred Wissink came to Ho Chi Minh City in 2006 and only started taking photos after being suggested it by friends. Photo: Klook . |
Ho Chi Minh City changes with each frame.
I arrived in Vietnam in March 2006. It sounds funny, but I followed my ex-girlfriend because she had business here. Then we broke up; she packed her bags and went back home, while I decided to stay. At first, I taught English like many other foreigners, but after a while, I lost all interest in teaching.
Luckily, my friends saw some of the photos I took on the street and thought they were "quite good." They said, "Hey Fred, you take great photos, you should become a photographer." So I applied to a magazine. I worked there as a photo editor for seven years. It was a very interesting turn of events in my career.
Let me clarify this: I'm not a journalist, and the magazine I work for isn't the kind of news that just reports events and chases after endless news stories. I define myself as a conceptual photographer. Instead of carrying a camera around and photographing obvious things, I prefer to tell stories through art, through abstract concepts.
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The images depict the development of Ho Chi Minh City, such as the construction of Bitexco Tower, the disappearance of power lines, and an old fisherman on the river in front of Bach Dang Wharf... |
Back then, the magazine's creative team was very small, just me, the creative director, and the magazine owner. The three of us came up with all sorts of crazy ideas, creating our own settings, even turning my old apartment in District 1 into a studio for cover photos.
Each month brought a new story, a new idea, and we just kept "going wild." The magazine closed down in 2019 due to lack of funding, but those photos still preserve images of Ho Chi Minh City during a certain period.
Speaking of photos of this city, I have a whole collection. But to choose my favorite, I'd pick this one taken from the rooftop of the Renaissance Riverside Hotel in 2007. Just look at it; the Thu Thiem Bridge hadn't even been built yet. The entire Thu Thiem area looked like an old harbor, sparsely populated, with hardly any high-rise buildings, except for The Manor in the distance.
 
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Photographer Fred Wissink captured the changes before and after the inauguration of the Ba Son Bridge. |
That same morning, I stood on Ton Duc Thang Street looking across to District 2. At that time, the ferry terminal was still the only "lifeline," with people and motorbikes lining up to cross the river every day. The ancient trees along the riverbank cast lush green shadows, creating a strangely peaceful scene. Now, the ferry terminal has given way to the Thu Thiem 2 Bridge and other modern projects.
Ho Chi Minh City is changing rapidly. In 2015, District 8 was still full of low-rise buildings, and the canals were polluted. In 2008, District 7, the section leading to Nha Be, had a lot of empty land overgrown with weeds, but now it has been replaced by apartment buildings. This city is always bustling; it just keeps moving forward.
That's the nature of this place. If you don't embrace change, you'll never understand the soul of Ho Chi Minh City. It's a constantly evolving entity, always striving for better, faster, and more vibrant. If you blink too long, you'll miss an entire chapter of history.
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Notre Dame Cathedral was photographed in 2008 before it began its lengthy restoration in 2017. |
People are the memory of the city.
For me, the soul of this city lies in its people. I enjoy "collecting" strange stories. For example, Mr. Long, a motorbike taxi driver whom I consider a comrade. I met him while sitting smoking on the sidewalk; we just sat and chatted, and before we knew it, we were close friends.
He was a very kind man. In 2010, I took my camera and photographed him standing in front of the Bitexco Tower, which was under construction. A man of an older generation standing before a brand-new, towering landmark. His gentle eyes are still vividly captured in my photograph.
Then there's Suboi. In 2010, a friend called me and said, "Hey Fred, I know a really new singer, a rapper." I shrugged and said, "Yeah, let's take some pictures, what's the worry?" At that time, she wasn't as famous as she is now, but she was very individualistic, unlike any traditional Vietnamese girl. We decided to take photos right at home, breaking all the rules to capture the "rebellion," the unique spirit of the young generation in Ho Chi Minh City at that time.
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Living and working in Ho Chi Minh City, Fred believes that the city's people have their own unique charm and characteristics. |
I also once wandered to Binh Pho restaurant on Ly Chinh Thang Street because a magazine hired me to photograph the owner. During the war, American soldiers ate pho on the ground floor, while the upper floor, with its basement, was where commandos hid and planned battles. History in this city is always found in even the most humble eateries.
Speaking of memories, one cannot forget Co Bac apartment building, an old building but full of human warmth. I used to frequent it, talking to the people who had stayed there. They told me all sorts of stories about the old De Tham - Bui Vien area. That's the true essence of Ho Chi Minh City, a place that always opens its heart to all the poor and needy.
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Workers at the Mieu Noi apartment building (Gia Dinh ward) in 2006. |
Stay and take photos tomorrow.
I love the vibrant atmosphere of this place. I also love the fiery orange color of the sky after each sudden rain shower, a magical hue that I'm sure you can't find anywhere else but here.
To me, this city is like a painting in progress, with new brushstrokes added every day.
I used to work on the Expat publication about expats living here for over 10 years, people who, like me, chose this place as their second home. From the owner of Pandelasco, which opened in 1992, to the investor Dominic Scriven, they are all a part of this city.
 Vietnam encourages US businesses to expand investment in high technology.On the morning of June 26th, at the Government Headquarters, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung received Mr. Jeff Place, Supply Chain Director of Coherent Group (USA). During the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam encourages US businesses to expand investment, especially in high-tech, innovation, and semiconductor industries. |
A photo of Co Bac apartment building (Cau Ong Lanh ward) taken in 2014. |
I'm currently working on a project about "Vietnamese expats," those who return. I find them interesting because they come back here to rediscover their "Vietnamese soul." Like John Huy Tran, who grew up in a small town in Canada and then came back here to build his career.
I still enjoy wandering through narrow alleyways, photographing old wooden benches or hand-painted signs that are gradually disappearing. I don't like doing things that are controversial or make people angry. I want people to be happy when they see the beauty of the city through my photos.
Twenty years here, I find myself receiving more from this city than I've given. Ho Chi Minh City has given me a career, friends, and a family. It has taught me to accept change and always look to the future with optimism. For me, this city will forever remain a vibrant and captivating symphony, a place where aspirations never fade.
I will still be here, still holding my camera to record every moment of this ever-growing, bustling city. Because that's Ho Chi Minh City; it never stops. And neither do I.
Source: https://znews.vn/suc-hut-ky-la-cua-tphcm-post1662478.html
