(VOVworld) - The exhibition “Hanoi – Spirit of Place” has taken place in Hang Bai Exhibition House in Hanoi. The exhibition showcased nearly 200 photos on Hanoi in the subsidy period taken by British diplomat John Ramsden from 1980 to 1983. It evokes beloved memories of Hanoi in that time. VOV reporter Bui Hang has more.

The exhibition “Hanoi – Spirit of Place” depicts the simple but difficult life of Hanoi people in the subsidy period but one could still feel a sense of hope and a relentless striving spirit of Hanoians. The photos capture the images of old bicycles, crowded electric trams, queuing to buy goods and lines of barrels waiting to collect water. John Ramsden was a diplomat but he also has a passion for photography. From 1980 to 1983, he was sent to Hanoi as part of the British Diplomatic Service’s mission. John then soon became interested in the simple beauty of the city as it was recovering from the war. John Ramsden said: "I have never seen a picture of Hanoi before I got here. Hanoi in the North of Vietnam is some kind of mystery for people in the West. So I was really amazed when I got here. I found an ancient city with traditional culture which was what was expecting because of the war. So I wanted to go exploring and I found that although in the hard and difficult time, there were a lot of beautiful things to see. It had strong character, which is natural topic for photographer, so it is great things to do for me".
The exhibition is considered a rare opportunity for the old, young Hanoi people and the author to meet and share their thoughts about Hanoi in the past. For those who had experienced the subsidy period, the exhibition brought back to them unforgettable memories of Hanoi. Nguyen Van Son lives in Trieu Viet Vuong street in Hanoi: "I have my memories of living in the subsidy period. Those images are so familiar to me. I can recall everything without having to read the author’s signs. Those photos are valuable because they evoke nostalgic feelings in people even today".
Bui Thi Cuc, another Hanoian has the same view: "These photos recalled memories from the Hanoi of 30 years ago. They reminded me of those days when Hanoi was so beautiful and peaceful. The photos are still valuable today. They are even more valuable as they were taken by a foreigner".
The photos touch the emotions of not only the elderly but also many young people. For them, the exhibition reflects a historical period of the country in a lively way. 26-year-old Nguyen Hoang Son shared his view: "I was born in 1987 when Vietnam’s renewal process had been launched. I wanted to learn more about Hanoi in the subsidy period which I have only known about through my parents’ stories. Through the photos, I came to know more about how people lived, worked and what Hanoi’s streets looked like in the past. I am so lucky to have been born during the renewal process when life was much better, but I also felt regret. If I had been born earlier, I would have had the chance to experience this time and to learn more about the country’s history".
The exhibition “Hanoi – Spirit of Place” attracts not only local people but also foreigners. Ella comes from Switzerland: "I found it interesting, many diverse photos especially photos from the point of view of a foreigner and the external vision of the country after the war. I can see that some photos are very similar today. Some streets for me look exactly the same, whereas others are quite different, we can hardly recognize Hanoi. I’m curious to see how things would be if the photos were taken by a local".

John Ramsden said it was like a journey of emotions for him when taking those photos. The exhibition of Hanoi’s subsidy period was first displayed to mark Vietnam Cultural Days in April in London and then introduced again to Vietnam. John Ramsden again: "When I showed a slide show to Vietnamese students in London, I was struck by their reaction. The young people in London told me they have heard a lot about this time from their parents and grandparents but few photos showed them what the life was really like. That’s certainly an encouragement for me to show the photographs to the young audience. My partners here, they all were born after the photos were taken, without them, the exhibition could not be. It is impossible to mention special support from Vietnamese embassy in England, British embassy, the Ministry of Culture. I’m grateful for that which made it easy for us to bring the exhibition here".

The exhibition not only evokes memories about Hanoi’s difficult subsidy period but also sends a meaningful message to help the young be more appreciative of the past.

Bui Hang