Close quarters: Pat Cam's work, currently on exhibit in France, reflects the daily lives of people in Ha Noi's Old Quarter. — File Photo

PARIS — The Old Quarter in Ha Noi is depicted in paintings and photos at an exhibition in the Viet Nam Cultural Centre in Paris entitled Ha Noi, 36 Pho Phuong (Ha Noi, 36 Streets).

The centrerpiece of the exhibition are 20 watercolour paintings on silk and 30 photos by overseas Vietnamese artist Vuong Pat Cam, whose model of the Tortoise Tower in Hoan Kiem Lake is made of diverse mirrors illuminated by lights.

Born in Laos, 50-year-old Cam has lived in France since the age of 12. Though he has never lived in Ha Noi, he has a deep love for the city and says he often thinks of Viet Nam and Ha Noi. Since 2009, he has searched for different ways to express this feeling through his work.

"No one can forget the noisy and lively ambience of the streets from the first time they arrive in Ha Noi's Old Quarter," Cam said. "I want to share this impression with art-lovers, the colours, noises and smells of the Old Quarter captured through the eyes of an artist living far from his native land."

Cam was able to show the beauty of Ha Noi in a unique way, said Viet Nam Cultural Centre director Le Hong Chuong. "His works demonstrate his deep love for Ha Noi," Chuong said. — VNS