View portraits of 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups through exhibition by French photographer

Photographer Réhahn Croquevielle displays 200 photos, more than 60 traditional costumes, interesting stories, unique artifacts... in an online photo exhibition.

The exhibition is displayed at the ancient house at 26 Phan Boi Chau (Hoi An City), which the French photographer calls the Museum of Invaluable Heritage. Currently, the works in the exhibition are available on the “digital museum” Google Arts & Culture.

The exhibition of paintings about 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam is divided into 8 different stories, with photos capturing the Dao, Bo Y, O Du, Phu La, La Hu, Pu Peo, Pa Then and Si La ethnic groups in colorful traditional costumes. Information on each photo is conveyed in Vietnamese, English and French. Images of the 54 ethnic groups are clearly depicted in terms of characteristics, lifestyles and customs, helping viewers better understand the diverse and unique culture of Vietnam.

Photo source: Google Arts & Culture

Born in Normandy, France, photographer Réhahn has visited over 35 countries before settling in Hoi An, making it his second home. He is particularly known for his portraits in Vietnam, Cuba and India. He published the photo book Mosaic of Contrasts in 2014 and held an exhibition called "Ageless Beauty" at the Vietnamese Women's Museum.

Réhahn spent five years exploring and experiencing the complex and diverse cultures and fragile cultural heritages of these ethnic groups. He took photographs that reflected their distinctive cultural contrasts, collecting traditional costumes and precious artifacts.

The exhibition is held in an old house built during the French colonial period in Hoi An. It has been renovated and decorated into an art museum to tell the stories of the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam.

Source: Google Arts & Culture

Northern Vietnam is a region of extraordinary beauty, says Réhahn. He has travelled to the farthest reaches of the country to photograph the tribes and listen to their traditional songs. Réhahn was particularly impressed by the Si La people, whose costumes are adorned with silver coins, which are believed to bring good luck.

During his journey, he met the Dao, Pu Péo, Khmu and Hmong Hoa people. Each ethnic group has its own language, skills and traditional costumes. On the other hand, the photographer's journey in the Central and Southern regions was also very interesting.

Lo Lo ethnic girl at the door. Photo source: Google Arts & Culture

In addition, Réhahn's online photo exhibition "Priceless Heritage" on the Google Arts & Culture platform also allows viewers to enjoy and learn about the indigo dyeing technique of the Dao, Nung, Hmong and La Chi ethnic groups, introduce the coffee production process of the K'Ho people, and organic honey of the Co Tu people...

Google Arts & Culture was launched in 2011 as an online platform that brings high-resolution images and videos of artworks and cultural artifacts from cultural institutions around the world to the public. The highlight of Google Arts & Culture is the application of the latest technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) to help viewers access art and culture in a new and interesting way.

laodong.vn