Photo exhibition "Time and Cities" by Vietnamese-Swiss artist

In addition to the visual experience, the audience also has an auditory experience when watching footage of the creative process and daily life of the city. (Photo: HNV)

This is also one of many activities within the framework of the Photo Hanoi '25 International Photography Biennale, co-organized by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports and the French Institute in Vietnam this November in Hanoi.

The exhibition is an interesting meeting between 3 Swiss artists (Beat Streuli, Alfio Tommasini, Matthieu Gafsou) and 3 Vietnamese artists (Le Nguyen Duy Phuong, Tran Vinh Dat, Bach Nam Hai), and is also one of the ideas born after Le Nguyen Duy Phuong's research trip on photography curation in Switzerland sponsored by Pro Helvetia.

The exhibition attracted a large number of visitors, both international and domestic.

The hectic pace of urban life, often dominated by appointments and deadlines, has reduced time to a mere tool. For many city dwellers, the subtle experience of the passage of time has become blurred in the daily grind.

However, the nomadic life of a photography practitioner offers contrasting perspectives. As they move between cities and document diverse cultures and environments, they encounter a range of different experiences of time.

By combining photography with video , stillness with movement, this exhibition explores the relationship between space and time from multiple perspectives. These contrasting elements, when placed together, reveal the fundamental law of life (birth, growth, work and death), which is consistent regardless of geographical boundaries.

Delegates listened attentively to the introduction of the exhibition.

Time, in this visual narrative, finds its point of reference in humanity itself – a constant defined by the relationship between the ever-shifting sands of time in the urban landscape and the temporality of life.

Photography thus moves beyond the role of observation, becoming a bridge for us to actively participate in and appreciate the beauty, transience, and connection of time with the cities we call home.

Each photograph transcends its function as a record, becoming a profound reflection on the human place in the urban flow. They remind us that, amidst the chaos of the city, there are always stories waiting to be told, moments unfolding, and precious memories forming.

Through the works of six photographers from Vietnam and Switzerland, spanning generations and using different techniques, the exhibition invites viewers to reflect on our connection to time, space and ourselves.

Mr. Aldo de Luca, Deputy Ambassador of Switzerland to Vietnam.

Swiss Deputy Ambassador, Mr. Aldo de Luca, emphasized that through this exhibition, the Swiss Embassy wishes to contribute to promoting dialogue between Vietnamese and Swiss artists, and at the same time introduce to the Vietnamese public new perspectives on urban areas and people in contemporary times. Thereby, it hopes to create a large-scale and meaningful playground for Vietnamese and international artists.

According to Le Nguyen Duy Phuong, artist and curator of the exhibition: “In 2023, I presented my research on the theme of “Time” through visual expression with the exhibition “Finding Time Lost Time Finding”. And very fortunately, in 2025, I won a scholarship from Pro Helvetia for curatorial research on photography in Switzerland. During that short-term research, I had to move a lot between appointments in many cities, which is also one of the reasons why I continued my research with the exhibition “Time and Cities” this year”.

As the artist representing the Swiss group of authors at the exhibition, artist Beat Streuli shared with Nhan Dan Newspaper his joy at having a series of photos of New York City (USA) displayed and introduced at the exhibition.

According to artist Beat Streuli, capturing moments of residents in the cities where he lives and visits is part of his job. He also expressed his hope to have a beautiful, characteristic photo collection of Hanoi city.

“This is my first time in Hanoi and I am very excited to explore a city that I have long wanted to visit, both photographically and personally,” said artist Beat Streuli.

The exhibition runs until November 22, 2025.

LE NGUYEN

Source: https://nhandan.vn/trien-lam-anh-thoi-gian-va-nhung-thanh-pho-cua-nghe-si-viet-nam-thuy-si-post920332.html