Visitors experience taking photos in an ancient form. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội Department of Culture and Sports, in collaboration with the French Institute in Việt Nam, opened Photo Hà Nội’25 on November 1, aiming to showcase and promote the image of Hà Nội and its people through the lens of Vietnamese and international photographers.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Bạch Liên Hương, Director of the department, said this year’s edition is larger in both scale and scope, featuring 170 artists, photographers, curators, and experts from 21 countries and 25 professional organisations.

The biennale includes 22 exhibitions and 28 sideline events such as talk shows, book launches, and film screenings. A series of art tours, photography workshops, and interactive experiences at 20 cultural venues across the capital will offer the public, especially young people, fresh perspectives on contemporary photography from Việt Nam and abroad.

Hương reaffirmed Hà Nội's commitment to strengthening cooperation in research, planning, and cultural projects, and to building networks with other Creative Cities, thereby enhancing diplomatic relations and fostering solidarity and friendship between Việt Nam and other nations.

The event also reflects the strong commitment and determination of the French Embassy to promote cultural cooperation and connectivity between France and embassies, international organisations, foreign cultural centres in Việt Nam, as well as businesses, sponsors, and professional institutions, contributing to deeper cultural exchange, mutual understanding, and international cooperation, she continued.

UNESCO Representative to Việt Nam Jonathan Wallace Baker described the biennale as a cultural movement that honours photography as a universal language for observing, feeling, and connecting.

He said its appeal lies in how “the city of Hà Nội itself becomes both the stage and the creative subject, where streets and heritage sites are transformed into open-air galleries.” Beyond the visual displays, the event sparks dialogue on memory, identity, nature, and the modern world.

Presenting the curatorial concept of the exhibition Nostalgia for Cities, artist and curator Nguyễn Thế Sơn said it serves as an “artistic transit station” where streams of creativity and urban memory intersect. Featuring 30 artists from 19 cities worldwide, it creates an open space for global urban narratives.

Sơn said the exhibition focuses on “portraits of cities” rather than individuals, exploring how photography shapes the identity and visual memory of a place. One highlight is a collection of photo-collage clock artworks, each representing a city and running in real time, symbolising the rhythm of urban life.

Running until November 30, Photo Hà Nội’25 will feature more than 50 exhibitions and art events across the city, turning Hà Nội into a vibrant hub of global photographic dialogue. — VNA/VNS