Life
Celebrated French photographer opens exhibition on the daily lives of Hoi An’s people
The exhibition features 16 photographs depicting natural landscapes and the daily lives of local people in Hoi An city and will be displayed in Hoi An Museum.
Rehahn photo “Hidden Smile".
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One of the highlights of the exhibition is the photo titled “Hidden Smiles,” featuring the 79-year-old boat rower Bui Thi Xong on the Hoai River in Hoi An, who has been dubbed as one of the most beautiful women in Vietnam by international newspapers and magazines, such as National Geographic, the Los Angeles Times, and the BBC. The exhibition is open from 7 am to 5 pm every day in Hoi An Museum, located at 10B, Tran Hung Dao Street, Hoi An City, Quang Nam province.
Rehahn loves the charming landscapes and tranquil atmosphere in Hoi An where he can easily find a slower pace of life without pollution and noise, allowing him to focus on seeking inspiration for his art. “I still have no intention to return to my homeland in France as Hoi An has a lot to impress me. The exhibition continues my mission over the past years to help turn the ancient city into the most sought-after destination in Vietnam, as a gift that I present to my second home,” Rehahn was quoted as saying.
This is not the first time he has implemented cultural activities to promote the city’s tourism image to international friends as Rehahn has earlier opened two outdoor exhibitions on An Hoi pedestrian square along the Hoai River. In addition, he came up with the idea of turning Phan Boi Chau Street in Hoi An into the French-Vietnamese cultural and artistic street “Rue Des Arts,” under the patronage of the French Consulate General in Vietnam.
Rehahn, is a photographer based in Hoi An, Vietnam. He travelled over 35 countries and is particularly renowned for his portraits of Vietnam, Cuba, and India. Known as the photographer that “captures emotions and people’s souls,” he has been working towards the recognition of the heritage of Vietnam’s 54 tribes since 2011.
In 2007, while travelling in Vietnam for the first time with a French NGO, he explored the country and its culture through his lens and captured more than 50,000 photographs. In 2011, he decided to move to Vietnam and settled in the UNESCO-listed town of Hoi An.
In 2015, the photographs “Best Friends” and “Hidden Smile,” the cover of his first book, became part of the collection of the Asian House Museum in Havana, Cuba, as a result of the exhibition "Precious Heritage." In the following year, the portrait of Madame Xong from the “Hidden Smile” officially entered the permanent collection of the Vietnamese Women’s Museum in Hanoi.
