Natural: A photo of a Gia Rai woman taken by Sebastien Laval.

PARIS (VNS) — Portraits of Vietnamese ethnic groups taken by photographers Sebastien Laval from France and Le Vuong of Viet Nam will be on show in the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris from today until July 6.

Entitled 54...Visions of Viet Nam, the exhibition showcases monochrome and colour photos taken since 1980. They capture portraits and the daily activities of the 54 ethnic groups in Viet Nam.

A similar exhibition was held last year in the HCM City Museum of Fine Arts as a part of the Viet Nam - France celebration of cultural activities.

Laval was born in 1973 in France. He first came to Viet Nam in 1995. Entranced by the people and landscape, he has devoted 18 years to documenting the lives of ethnic minority people.

His work introduces the beauty of ethnic people and their diversified cultures to the world and provides a visual document for ethnologists.

Laval's works in black and white reflect the energy and delight of a young photographer discovering an intriguing, exotic world, said Suzanne Lecht, director of the Art Viet Nam Gallery.

"He captures the natural easy grace of the people with measured precision," she said. "From everyday activities to poetic landscapes, Laval's photos portray the passion and beauty he discovers in the simplest of moments."

More than 60 of Laval's works were recently displayed at the Hue Festival.

Vuong is a highly respected veteran photographer from Ha Noi who has dedicated his entire life to taking photos of the country and people, mainly in colour.

The 95-year-old photographer still goes out on his bicycle early every morning to capture the day as well as secret moments of the capital city.

He has travelled throughout the country tirelessly, collecting an archive of memories that show how life is rapidly changing.

His works have been exhibited in many European and Asian countries. In Viet Nam, they are displayed at the Viet Nam Fine Arts Museum in Ha Noi. — VNS