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The photo exhibition "Little Stories in Japan" is an event within the framework of the Photo Hanoi'23 International Photography Biennale, initiated by the French Institute in Vietnam, and is also an event in the series of activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Vietnam.
"Little Stories in Japan" by photographer Hai Thanh offers a glimpse into the lifestyle, people, and everyday scenes from the author's personal experiences living and working in Japan. The series of photographs taken in Japan began when the author had the opportunity to visit the country for the first time with his family in 2016. The new experiences during his six-month stay in a country with a long-standing and diverse culture were the main reason the author wanted to capture these memories through photography.
Photographer Hai Thanh
Hai Thanh deliberately selected photographs for this exhibition that mostly reflect personal perspectives and subjective opinions, drawn from trips to Japan in 2016, 2018, and 2019.
Photographer Hai Thanh shared: "The 94 photos in this exhibition are deeply personal perspectives and subjective observations from the author's trips to Japan in 2016, 2018, and 2019. These are experiences of living quietly, in the everyday life of a Japanese person."
The author's first impressions of Japan spurred him to return, to see and learn more about the lifestyle, the urban landscape, and the people who embodied order and logic, the harmony and contrast in everyday life.
Hai Thanh's series of photographs taken in Japan began when the author had the opportunity to visit the country for the first time with his family in 2016.
During his time in Japan, the author had the opportunity to photograph several other places besides Tokyo, but the strongest impression remained of the capital, because nowhere else possessed such a diverse range of cultural colors and was not confined by any particular form of expression.
"Through this exhibition, we will feel that besides the Japan we often see through the media with its characteristic beauty, there are many moments and landscapes that we can only experience when we come to Japan. Life there is more diverse and colorful than we imagine. I want to share my experiences with viewers, and if you have the opportunity, please come and experience it for yourselves," Hai Thanh said.
These photographs offer glimpses into the lifestyle, people, and everyday scenes from photographer Hai Thanh's personal experiences living and working in Japan.
One unique aspect of the exhibition that piques visitors' curiosity is the lack of captions for each photograph, instead offering only a general introduction. This is because the artist intends to use the setting, the people depicted, and the landscape to reflect on the artist's own inner thoughts and feelings. Through this, viewers can ask their own questions and find their own answers.
Hai Thanh is an independent photographer from Hanoi, currently living and working in Ho Chi Minh City. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design from the Hanoi University of Industrial Fine Arts in 1996 and worked in the field for several years afterward. Photography initially started as a hobby but gradually became a serious pursuit after he discovered it as a new platform for self-expression and a way to convey a message to society.
Hai Thanh became a professional photographer after working as a freelance photojournalist for domestic newspapers and international media, especially after having the opportunity to participate in the Indochina Media Memorial Foundation (IMMF), an organization dedicated to enhancing the knowledge and skills of photojournalism for young Vietnamese photojournalists across the country, twice in 2007 and 2010.
Hai Thanh currently dedicates much of his time to organizing workshops for young photography enthusiasts, both amateur and professional. Since beginning his photography career in early 2000, Hai Thanh has held numerous group and solo exhibitions both domestically and internationally.
The exhibition "Little Stories from Japan" will be held from May 19th to June 4th at the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam, 27 Quang Trung Street, Tran Hung Dao Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.
What's unique about the exhibition is that there are no captions for each photograph, only a general introduction to the exhibition.
Here are some photos from the exhibition:
Photographer Hai Thanh said that through the exhibition, we will feel that besides the Japan we often see through the media with its characteristic beauty, there are many moments and landscapes that we can only see when we come to Japan.
Viewers can ask themselves questions and find their own answers through each of the seemingly random photographs.
Visitors come to see the exhibition.
