 | On the street: Flower vendors peddle through Ha Noi's streets. |
|  | Symbolic: Long Bien Bridge, photographer unknown. |
|  | Head count: A photographer takes photos of busts of Viet Nam's cultural figures displayed at the exhibition. — VNA/VNS Photo Truong Vi |
|
|
HA NOI — An exhibition of 1,000 photos opened yesterday starting a series of activities to celebrate the millennium anniversary of the capital.
Under the theme Ha Noi – A 1,000-year-old City, the 10-day exhibition displays a panoramic view of the city since it was liberated in 1954.
Colour and black and white photos on display at the exhibition were selected carefully from the numerous photos of Ha Noi, according to Vu Duc Tan, chairman of the Ha Noi Photographic Artists'Association.
"Although 1,000 photos can't portray the city's 1,000 year history, we expect that visitors will learn more about Ha Noi and understand our love for the city," said Tan.
The exhibition displays Ha Noi in the days after liberation, during reconstruction, through the renewal process and today. Visitors will get a chance to understand the city's development through these periods, and the long-standing culture and outstanding people who have devoted their lives to the capital.
Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) is the venue for an outdoor display of 800 photos while the rest of are showcased at Exhibition House, 45 Trang Tien Street.
Collins, a visitor from the US, said it was a unique experience for him.
"I don't understand all of the photos, for example, the portraits, I don't know who they are or what they do. I like photos that capture artisans at work because I can't find them in my country," he says.
The Association has worked with the Vietnam News Agency Publishing House to publish a book showcasing the photos as a souvenir for visitors.
Artists from other various literary and artistic associations have also found their own way to express their love for the capital through an exhibition featuring thousands of works on the theme of Ha Noi.
Entitled Literature and Arts Works Celebrating Ha Noi's 1,000th Anniversary, the exhibition includes 1,000 works of poetry, prose and literature, 300 paintings, 80 sculptures, 300 photos and 100 musical pieces, many of which have won both national and international prizes.
During the exhibition from October 1-10, there will be poetry, musical shows, film screenings and a seminar on Ha Noi's architecture, in which 25 speakers will focus on Ha Noi's architectural problems over the past 20 years.
The exhibition will run at the Viet Nam Centre for Exhibition, Arts and Culture, 2 Hoa Lu Street. — VNS