Exhibition offers insight into Vietnam’s land and people in the 1930s

The exhibition introduces the public to more than 50 photos and documents by female Ukrainian traveller, photographer, film operator and writer Sofia Yablonska (1907-1971).

The works on display provide visitors with a journey back through the past, exploring moments of the daily life, landscape and people of Vietnam during the 1930-1940 period.

The black-and-white photos followed Sofia Yablonska’s journey to explore the land of Vietnam, where she spent ten years living with her family.

The exhibition also reveals Sophia Yablonska's thoughts and feelings towards the landscape and people of Vietnam through quotes taken from her diary ‘Far Horizons’, in which Vietnam was described a secretive and fascinating country.

Visitors admiring photos on display at the exhibition

In her opening remarks, Director of the Vietnamese Women's Museum Nguyen Thi Tuyet said that the exhibition provides visitors with an opportunity to admire the beauty of Vietnam through the lenses of a Western female artist.

She hailed that by utilising visual language, Sofia Yablonska captured vivid scenes of rural life in Vietnam with endless fields and hard-working people, the majestic beauty of Ha Long Bay, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Long Bien Bridge, and Hoan Kiem Lake.

In addition, the cultural diversity of Vietnamese ethnic groups was highlighted through many Sofia Yablonska's photos on the Thai, Mong and Dao Tien ethnic people.

The exhibition is a testament to the strong friendship between the two countries as well as the cultural ties that have bound Vietnam and Ukraine for much longer than three decades.

Ukrainian Ambassador to Vietnam Gaman Oleksandr

For his part, Ukrainian Ambassador to Vietnam Gaman Oleksandr stressed that the exhibition, which takes place on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of Vietnam-Ukraine diplomatic relations, is a testament to the strong friendship between the two countries as well as the cultural ties that have bound Vietnam and Ukraine for much longer than three decades.

He hailed that Sofia was a visionary whose work went beyond boundaries and spoke to the universal human experience.

"Her photos are like windows into the past, providing glimpses of history, culture, and tradition," he stated.

The exhibition aims to celebrate the life and legacy of Sofia Yablonska, he said, expressing his hope for a future filled with continued collaboration and friendship between Ukraine and Vietnam.

The exhibition ‘Sofia Yablonska-The lifetime journey through the century’ is jointly held by the Vietnamese Women's Museum and the Ukrainian Embassy in Vietnam.

It is open to the public until April 30 at the Vietnamese Women's Museum, 36 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.

Selected photos of the opening ceremony:

Nguyen Thi Tuyet, Director of the Vietnamese Women's Museum, addresses the opening ceremony.

Ukrainian Ambassador to Vietnam Gaman Oleksandr speaks at the opening ceremony.

Life of Vietnamese people through the lens of Sofia Yablonska.

Ha Long Bay and Vietnamese landscape through the lens of Sofia Yablonska.

The cultural diversity of Vietnamese ethnic groups through the lens of Sofia Yablonska.