Special temple: Photo of a bomb's shell taken at Diem Temple in Diem Village is part of the exhibition.

HA NOI  (VNS) — A photo exhibition entitled Ki Uc Lang (Village Memory) by photographer Nguyen Huu Bao is being held at Hang Da Gallerie.

About 64 photos of Vietnamese villages in the Hong (Red) River Delta, the coastal area, the northern region and the Central Highland of Viet Nam are being exhibited.

The photos, portraying scenes from the daily lives of Vietnamese farmers, have been being taken by Bao since 1993.

"I take photos of everything that moves me," Bao said.

"The maximum photos are of the Red River Delta region because I love and understand it most. It is a cradle of Vietnamese village life and Vietnamese culture as well."

There is one photo of a bomb's shell from the war period hanging in Diem Temple in Diem Village, an ancient place of quan ho (love duet), in the northern Bac Ninh Province. It shows a contrast that Bao wants to focus on.

"The shell is now a bell hanging in such a spiritual place. People think it is normal," Bao said.

The photo will be presented to Nhip Cau Hoang Sa (Paracel Bridge) Fund for auction, the proceeds of which will be used to build houses for martyrs' families.

The black and white photos at the exhibition were not staged. Bao observed and shot precious moments spontaneously and candidly during his trips to each corner of the country.

Most of the photos are close-ups and medium shots, highlighting the lives of the villages and their people.

Born to an urban family, Bao has spent more than 30 years working with a camera. He has held many solo and group exhibitions, including one in Paris on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the friendship between Viet Nam and France in 2014.

"To understand Viet Nam and the Vietnamese people, you should understand the villages," artist Le Thiet Cuong says in the introduction to the exhibition.

"Photographer Bao gives diversified perspectives on the village stories. His memories about villages through 64 photos tell different stories about them, involving happiness, sadness, separations or meetings."

A book, also entitled Ki Uc Lang, by Bao was released on this occasion. The exhibition will run till October 15. — VNS