After 5 congresses, with its potential, advantages and inheritance from previous generations, the Da Nang artistic photography has become a bright spot in Viet Nam’s artistic photography movement.

Photographers from Quang Nam Province and Da Nang participate in creating photos at the Gala Programme ‘Tuong Masks Through the Lens of Photography’ at the APEC Park. Photo: DOAN HAO LUONG

Growing from hardship

Photographer Ong Van Sinh, former Chairman of the Da Nang Art Photography Association, said that after the reunification of the country, the Quang Nam - Da Nang Department of Information and Culture established the Publicity Photography Office to carry out the task of conveying information and policies of the state to the people with the aim of stabilising life, maintaining order, bringing people back to their homeland, increasing production...

The daily work of photojournalists was to go to the grassroots, districts, communes and cooperatives... to record images, then display them at 82 Hung Vuong, along with other types of journalism to serve the people.

In 1978, the first congress established the Quang Nam - Da Nang Literature and Arts Association, including 5 majors: literature, fine arts, music, theater and photography. The photography major had only more than 15 people. The photography force included private photo studio owners such as Phung Ky, Le Van Sy, Ho Xuan Bon, Le Dinh Phan and Hoang Ngoc Minh.

It was not until 1983 that former Quang Nam - Da Nang Province had its first photography contest co-organized by the Department of Culture and Information and 50 works were selected for exhibition. This was a source of encouragement for the art photography movement of former Quang Nam - Da Nang Province at that time.

The third meeting of the 2nd term of the Executive Committee of the Viet Nam Association of Photographic Artists in 1984 admitted 3 photography members of the Quang Nam - Da Nang Literature and Arts Association to the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists, including the late photographer Vu Thanh Tu, photographer Ong Van Sinh and photographer Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet.

These were the first 3 members and also the first Viet Nam Photographers Association - Branch in the Central Viet Nam and Central Highlands regions, after the capital city of Ha Noi and the southern hub of Ho Chi Minh City.

The establishment of the Viet Nam Photographers Association - Branch in Da Nang has promoted the movement of artistic photography creation, participation in competitions, professional exchanges and the photography movement of former Quang Nam - Da Nang Province, and Da Nang in particular, achieving many achievements, the creative force increased in both quantity and quality.

In the 1985 - 1990 period, many photography members of Da Nang were admitted to the Viet Nam Photographers Association and became the ‘leading birds’, the core photographers for the development of the art photography movement of Da Nang.

Affirming the name through major awards

On December 24, 2001, the Da Nang Photographers Association was established under the Da Nang Union of Literary and Artistic Associations, To date, the Da Nang Art Photography Association has 80 members, 21 of whom have joine the Viet Nam Association of Photographers. In addition, there are many active Da Nang photography clubs.

After the first news photo work won the B prize (Silver medal) in the news photo contest organized by Nhan Dan (People) Newspaper in 1979, titled 'Fishing in the South' by photographer Le Toan, and the first art photo won the Silver medal, titled ‘Recovery Light’ by photographer Ho Xuan Bon at the exhibition organized by the Department of Photography and Exhibition Management under the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture - Information in 1982, the city's photographers and artists have won many major awards at home and abroad.

In particular, the first art photo to be awarded an international prize was "Mother" by photographer Than Nguyen, at a photo contest organised by UNESCO in July 1999 in Japan, which left many impressions on the photography community nationwide.

After that, many artists participated in art photography competitions and won many high awards such as artist Ho Xuan Bon with the work ‘Loyal friend’, artist Phan Ngoc Hoi with the ‘Countryside childhood’, artist Dang Van No with the work ‘Co Tu baby’, artist Nguyen Quang with the work "Trang", artist Nguyen Cong Hung with the work ‘Kinh Bac wrestling festival’, artist Nguyen Van Thanh with the ‘Catching fish’, artist Huynh Nam Dong with the ‘Crying’, artist Quang Ba Hai with ‘Cham eyes’ ...

In particular, artist Than Nguyen won world titles in a short time. Meanwhile, in 2021, artist Huynh Van Truyen won 98 domestic and international awards. In 2022, a total of 104 awards and 282 works were selected for exhibition, including 1 VAPA gold cup, 26 gold, 13 silver, 6 bronze medals, 59 honorary certificates at international art photography competitions and artists with 6 times honored as the best author of international competitions in Spain, the United Kingdom and Canada...

Mr. Nguyen Nho Khiem, the Chairman of the Da Nang Union of Literature and Arts Associations affirmed that Da Nang photography has recorded profound marks in the cultural and artistic life and truly reflected the historical periods of the homeland, contributing significantly to promoting the image of famous landscapes, traditional beauty of Quang people to domestic and international friends.

Generations of Quang Nam - Da Nang photographers have constantly contributed, created and preserved precious moments of change in the land of "Five Phoenixes Flying Together". In the current digital age, photography is facing new opportunities and challenges, requiring constant creativity to keep up with trends and meet the increasingly high demands of public tastes.

With a burning passion and a desire to contribute, today's young photographers will continue to inherit the traditions of their predecessors, continuing to bring Quang Nam - Da Nang photography to develop faster and higher, reaching national and international stature.

Reporting by DOAN GIA HUY – Translating by ANH THU