Hanoi opens exhibition of contemporary Japanese photography

Hai Thanh has gained recognition within the local photography community for his ability to capture visually stunning images with a focus on daily life themes, establishing himself as a professional photographer.

Photographer Hai Thanh. Photo: Maika

In the exhibition titled "While in Japan", which will be opened to the public in Hanoi from May 19 to June 4 at the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam, the photographer will showcase his unique photographs with an interesting perspective on contemporary Japan, especially Tokyo.

The series of photographs of Japan was taken when Thanh first visited the country with his family in 2016, to record his personal experiences and memories during his six-month stay in a country with such a rich and distinctive culture.

The strong impressions of his first visit propelled him to return to Japan, to observe and learn more about the lifestyle, the urban landscapes, the people going about their orderly and logical ways of life, and the harmonies and contrasts existing side by side in everyday situations.

During his time in Japan, while taking photographs of several other places, the artist was most impressed by the capital city, with the unrivaled diverse and uninhibited nature of its cultural expressions.

The poster of the photo exhibition titled "While in Japan" by photographer Hai Thanh

The photographs of the exhibition, hand-picked by the artist himself, give us a glimpse of his private and subjective perspective during his visits to Japan in 2016, 2018, and 2019. 

According to Thanh, photography, in the beginning, was just one of his hobbies. “But with time, it became the means for self-expression and communication of my messages to society,” he stated.

After working as a freelance photojournalist for local and international news agencies and participating in the Indochina Media Memorial Foundation twice (in 2007 and 2010), Thanh became a professional photographer.

He now devotes much of his time to organizing workshops for young amateur and professional photography enthusiasts. Since the beginning of his photography career in the early 2000s to date, Hai Thanh has held numerous group and solo exhibitions in Vietnam and abroad to critical acclaim.

In addition to the exhibition, the photographer is also offering a portfolio review (for photo analysis) for young photographers on May 21 at 3 pm at The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam, No. 27 Quang Trung Street, Hanoi.