About ‘Portraits Of Áo Dài’
For me it’s not just a project about traditional Vietnamese dresses, but above all it provides me with the opportunity to get to know myself deeply and connect with others. In my early years of photography, I struggled because I thought I was too young to be immersed in traditional culture. But that changed when I received an award in France for my photography, prompting international journalists to ask me something which has haunted me ever since: “Does Vietnamese traditional culture influence your style?” This question really kickstarted the project, and made me embark on a journey of appreciating my origin and of bridging the gap between tradition and the modern world. With this project I want to tackle some prejudices Vietnamese artists, and people in general, have had to deal with: that Vietnam is all about wars. No, wars have ended. And yet, many still think of Vietnam as a miserable country injured by wars and its lingering shadows. I am of a young generation born in a period of peace in the country. I see how Vietnam develops every day in so many different ways, so I need to create to let the world know how beautiful my country is. This project is therefore my message and my pride as a child of Vietnam.
