Vietnam Through 63 Imprints
A Photography Exhibition by Chris Zhu
Curated by: Kirk Patrick Hilario Testa and Tran Truong Bao Khiem

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION - SHORT

Chris Zhu’s first solo exhibition, 63 Imprints, is a culmination of his visits to every corner of Vietnam, capturing the faces, landscapes, and sometimes overlooked gems across the country's 63 provinces. Here each image is a story and each story is an imprint. Through these photographs, viewers are invited to reflect not only on the beauty and diversity of the country but also on the marks we leave on this land, and the future we shape together.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION - LONG

63 Imprints marks Chris Zhu’s first solo photography exhibition, featuring photos from his personal, work, and volunteering trips across all 63 provinces of Vietnam between 2017 and 2025. Primarily using mobile photography, Chris’ photos aspire to capture Vietnam’s expansive landscapes spanning the mountains of Hà Giang to the marshes of Cà Mau. He also aims to share the emotions and stories of the people in his works, including centenarians from Bình Phước and H'Mông ethnic minority children from Lào Cai.

For the artist, the photos in this collection represent the imprints that Vietnam and its people have left on him. Additionally, this project serves as a way for Chris to reconnect with his maternal grandfather, who lived and worked in Vietnam decades ago. While little was shared about his time here, Chris has been motivated to retrace his grandfather’s path. Traveling through the provinces is a way of honoring their family history even though Chris may never know exactly where his grandfather had been.

For visitors to this exhibition, the photos attempt to share the vast diversity of Vietnam’s people, culture, and landscapes. In this moment of the country’s history, marked by sweeping changes driven by rapid economic growth, nothing will be permanent and the scenes and subjects depicted here may soon change. These images invite reflection on the imprints we leave on this land, whether we stay for mere days or many years.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Chris Zhu is a self-taught photographer from Canada who has been living in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for the past four years. His deep curiosity to explore Vietnam's vast diversity of people, culture, and landscapes has taken him through all 63 provinces of the country.
For Chris, photography is a way to preserve fleeting moments and tell stories without words. He is drawn to its documentary nature while still allowing room for the viewer’s subjective interpretation of emotions and narratives. He primarily uses mobile photography, valuing its spontaneity and accessibility. Recently, his photography has received recognition in the Vietnam is Awesome Moments Photo Exhibition and DPI Moments in Daily Life competitions.

Curatorial Team: Kirk Patrick Hilario Testa and Tran Truong Bao Khiem
Exhibition Production Team: Tiffany Hoang and Vivian Pham
Events by: Son-Trang Nguyen (Offline Collective)