Mourning photographer Hoang Thach Van

The news of the passing of photographer Hoang Thach Van shocked the Vietnamese photography world. For some of us, it was a real "shock", because just last week, our group including Nguyen Luong Hieu, Hoang Thach Van, Tam Thai, Pham Dang Khuong, Ha Dinh Nguyen, Doan Hoai Trung, Lu Dac Long... had just had a 3-day trip, both creating and exhibiting in Lam Ha ( Lam Dong ). During the 3 days of closeness, Hoang Thach Van and the writer together recalled unforgettable memories.

Photographer Hoang Thach Van during his lifetime

I came to find, interview and write an article about Hoang Thach Van at the end of August 2000 (23 years ago). At that time, he was the Chairman of the Gia Dinh Photography Club (under the Cultural Center of Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) - not yet a "high-ranking official" like he is now (Vice President of the Vietnam Photography Association). The reason I came to find him to write an article was because he had just created an "earthquake" when his work Thich su won the Special Prize in the 23rd Asia- Pacific Artistic Photography Contest (ACCU) held in Japan (with nearly 5,000 works by 1,500 authors from 23 countries participating). That achievement was truly remarkable. The article Everyday Moments Through the Lens of Hoang Thach Van published in Thanh Nien Weekend on August 27, 2000 is an unforgettable memory between the two of us. When we met a week ago, Hoang Thach Van said: "That was the first article written about me, printed in color offset on couche paper, it was so "cool"! For more than 20 years, I still keep that article as a memory of the first time I achieved a high achievement when I first started my career...".

The first article about photographer Hoang Thach Van was published in Thanh Nien Weekend on August 27, 2000.

Photographer Hoang Thach Van was born in 1959 in Saigon (hometown in Binh Duong). With more than 30 years of working with the camera, his lens has always been directed towards his homeland. His works have a very ordinary, familiar, and simple style, just like his nature and style. These are works: Enjoyment, Wildflowers, In the Morning Sun, Harvest Day, Field Break, Countryside Wedding, Vitality, Raising the Net... But his photography career is "far behind" the impression he left on his friends and colleagues: gentle, funny, friendly, sociable... Even in photo exhibitions in the South, when invited to speak (as Vice President of the Vietnam Photography Association), he was very simple, from his clothes to his language, not at all ostentatious).

Artists are creative, even though he is a manager, Hoang Thach Van never sits still at his desk, but if he has the chance, he picks up his camera and goes out. Most recently, he chaired a creative camp organized by the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists in Nha Trang (from May 5 to May 12, 2023), then on May 14, he took a bus to Ninh Thuan to create with the Gia Dinh Photography Club (where he comes from) to create with his colleagues in Bau Truc pottery village, Nam Cuong sand dunes... Finally, there was the trip to Lam Ha with the writer and colleagues as mentioned above.

Hoang Thach Van through the drawings of artist Giang Phong

Hoang Thach Van passed away at the age of 65, a ripe age for creativity, leaving behind many plans, including organizing a creative camp in Lam Ha - a land of great potential for photography artists to explore.

Mu Cang Chai - work of photographer Hoang Thach Van

Flood season in Mu Cang Chai - photographic work by Hoang Thach Van

Shocked and regretful when a person who was very passionate about his brothers and the country's artistic photography suddenly passed away. A stick of incense to say goodbye to his brother: Photographer Hoang Thach Van. May he rest in peace!

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/thuong-tiec-nghe-si-nhiep-anh-hoang-thach-van-185230624220041274.htm