Hanoi hosts 170 artists for Photo Hanoi’25 Biennale

THE HANOI TIMES — More than 170 international artists from 22 countries are showcasing their work at Photo Hanoi’25 – Biennale, reaffirming the capital’s growing status as a global creative hub.

Running from November 1 to 30 across more than 20 cultural venues, the citywide photography event features over 50 exhibitions, workshops and public discussions, turning Hanoi into an open gallery of artistic exchange and dialogue.

Now in its second official season since debuting in 2021, Photo Hanoi’25 is an initiative of the French Institute in Vietnam, jointly organized with the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, and supported by UNESCO and a network of international partners.

The Biennale aspires to become one of Hanoi’s most distinctive artistic landmarks, connecting Vietnam’s photographers with global creative communities.

At the opening ceremony, Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports Bach Lien Huong said the Biennale reflects the deep partnership between Hanoi and France and offers a dynamic space for cultural dialogue.

Jonathan Baker, Head of the UNESCO Office in Vietnam, said the event is seen as a vivid example of Hanoi’s creative spirit as a UNESCO Creative City, where creativity flourishes beyond institutions and within daily life.

The highlight of this year’s Biennale is the flagship exhibition “Nostalgia for Cities,” curated by Nguyen The Son.

Conceived as an artistic “transit station”, the exhibition brings together the photographic narratives of 30 artists from 19 cities, offering visitors a visual journey through diverse urban identities.

Each installation hides the photographers’ portraits to emphasize the “portrait of the city,” encouraging audiences to reflect on how photography captures a city’s soul. A striking element is a series of photo-collage clocks synchronized to the actual time in each represented city, a poetic reminder of the shared yet distinct rhythms of urban life.

The opening also unveiled the flagship exhibition “Nostalgia for Cities”, curated by Nguyen The Son. Conceptualized as an artistic “transit station”, much like a train depot or airport, the exhibition becomes a crossroads of creative currents and urban memories.

At the exhibition, 19 cities around the world “converse” through the photographic narratives of 30 participating artists, offering visitors a visual journey through diverse urban identities.

Interestingly, the exhibition conceals the photographers’ portraits to spotlight the “portrait of the city”, inviting audiences to reflect on how photography can capture the soul and individuality of each place.

A captivating feature of the show is the installation of photo-collage clocks, each synchronized to the actual time in the cities represented- a poetic reminder of the shared yet distinct rhythms that define urban life.

Among the international artists featured is Andy Soloman from the United Kingdom, whose black-and-white series captures Hanoi between 1992 and 2012, a time of profound transformation during the Doi moi (Renewal) era. 

His images reveal the simplicity and resilience of daily life, moments of quiet joy and enduring humanity that have defined the city’s soul through decades of change.

“Through each photograph, I hope to offer viewers a deeper sense of Hanoi’s life and spirit, the small moments of happiness and the challenges that shaped its character,” Soloman shared.

He hopes his monochrome images will serve as a bridge, connecting viewers not only with one another but also with Hanoi’s living history, a city whose stories continue to unfold through its streets, alleys and the hearts of its people.