In what will be a first for the city, an exhibition of nude photography will open in early July in Hanoi.

According to the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition, the event will feature a number of exceptional art works by 10 Vietnamese photographers, including Thai Phien, Duong Quoc Dinh, Nguyen Dzung Art, Dao Duc Hieu, Pho Ba Cuong, Nguyen A, Ngo Van Phu, Do Thi Mai, Le Quang Chau, and Tran Nhan Quyen.

About 5-7 artworks from each photographer will be selected for display at the event.

Minors below the age of 18 will not be allowed to enter the exhibition.

Earlier, a photo book of female nude shot by veteran photographer Thai Phien has been released in Ho Chi Minh City. The 465-page book, Mien Co Tich (Fairytale Land), includes 95 black-and-white and colour pictures selected from his collections.

Phien, a member of the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP), began working in nudes 10 years ago.

He is one of the country’s leading photographers who regularly shoot nudes. But they have faced prejudice from society against their nude photos.

In 2007, photos from his Springtime by Thai Phien, the country’s first photo book of nudes, were shown at an exhibition in HCM City.

The Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists gave the book an award, and the Voice of Ho Chi Minh City recognised the book as one of the city’s top 10 cultural events of 2008.

However, later, Phien was not allowed to hold a similar exhibition of his nude photos in Hanoi and Hue.

Nude photography has been debated for a long time because of the inability of state agencies to work out the difference between pornographic and artistic photos. Images of nude stars have also been at the centre of several scandals.

This exhibition is a positive sign that the door might be opening wider for similar events to be permitted in Hanoi./.

VNF