Photo exhibition brings decades of Vietnam’s history to Da Lat

Featuring photographs by Gilbert Bertrand, Daniel Roussel and Lily Franey, all of whom developed long-standing connections with Vietnam, the exhibition offers three distinct perspectives on Vietnam across periods of war, postwar hardship and change.

The “Vietnam Crossroads” exhibition opened in Da Lat on August 20, following its debut at Photo Hanoi ’25, an international photography biennale held at the French Embassy in Vietnam in 2025.

The Da Lat exhibition is jointly organized by the French Institute in Vietnam, Stop and Go Art Space and Pho Ben Doi creative studio. It will run through October 10 along the Da Lat Art Route on Ly Tu Trong Street in Xuan Huong - Da Lat Ward.

The earliest photographs are Gilbert Bertrand’s black-and-white images from 1970 to 1975, when he worked at the French Cultural Center in Da Lat and Saigon.

Bertrand was not a professional photographer but took pictures out of passion.

His photographs were recognized only later for both their artistic value and historical significance, capturing a distinctive chapter in Vietnam’s history.

Daniel Roussel lived in Vietnam from 1980 to 1986 as a resident correspondent for the French daily L’Humanité.

He documented everyday life in a country still facing severe postwar hardships, capturing ordinary moments with affection and admiration.

Alongside photography, Roussel wrote and produced documentaries, leaving behind a valuable body of material about Vietnam.

His perspective was shaped not simply by observation but also by an understanding of the Vietnamese people’s struggle against colonialism and imperialism.

The exhibition also features photographs taken by Lily Franey in 1987 during her work trips with Secours Populaire Français, a French humanitarian organization.

Her photographs capture Vietnam in the early years of the Doi Moi (Renovation) period, as the country was recovering from the devastation of war.

Rather than seeking dramatic scenes, Franey focused on ordinary people and everyday life. Her images convey a sense of hope through a warm, subtle and deeply human perspective.

Placed side by side, the three collections reflect three different periods and French perspectives on Vietnam.

Rather than forming a single continuous narrative, the photographs leave gaps for viewers to fill through their own memories and reflections.