Hanoi (VNA) - The Goethe-Institut in Vietnam on November 5 hosted an exhibition “to see or to be seen” by German photographer Birgit Kleber.
Through the series “Viet-Duc: 20 Faces, 20 Stories," Birgit Kleber captured portraits of 20 Vietnamese people living in Germany. They are individuals who have resiliently affirmed their identities and created distinctive imprints in their respective fields, drawing attention to a topic that has remained relatively underrepresented in public awareness, while also igniting inspiration for future generations to confidently pursue their own paths.
Several of the featured figures returned to Vietnam to attend the exhibition, including Ngo Ngoc Duc – a talented young filmmaker who won the prestigious Golden Lola Award; Nguyen Hong Anh – writer and director, best known for the film Saigon Kiss, which won Best Short Film at the 2025 Hessian Film and Cinema Awards; Khuong Dat Vuong – founder of Monsieur Vuong, the first Vietnamese restaurant in Berlin; and Uyen Ninh, a YouTuber and inspirational content creator with millions of followers and admirers in Vietnam, Germany, Europe, and many other parts of the world.
Inspired by the national colors of Vietnam and Germany, the three dominant tones: black, red, and yellow, run through nearly the entire photo series, creating a visual thread that links the portraits and symbolises the connection between the two countries.
Each portrait is the result of a shared attitude between the artist and the subject.
Birgit begins by expressing an attitude as an invitation. If that invitation is accepted, a dialogue opens up, and from that exchange, the portrait gradually takes shape.
When placed side by side in the exhibition, the photographer appears to represent the observers, while the 20 faces are those being observed. Yet once captured through photography, everyone becomes both the one being seen and the one who looks back at the audience.
Since the 1990s, German photographer Birgit Kleber has been portraying her peers in a long-term series titled “Photographers.” She began in Berlin, where she lives and works, and later expanded to artistic hubs such as Paris and New York.
Over more than three decades, the series has amassed over 100 portraits, a “who’s who” of the photography world. It includes globally renowned figures as well as lesser-known but equally compelling names, including some who have since passed away, making the collection a vivid visual chronicle of the history of global photography.
Following the exhibition opening, the organisers held a public talk titled “Behind the portrait – Uyen Ninh’s journey,” allowing audiences to engage in conversation with one of the exhibition’s standout figures.
Uyen Ninh arrived in Germany in 2019 and began sharing her personal experiences and sharp observations on social media. Beyond mere entertainment, she uses cultural differences to create online spaces of connection, helping people from the two cultures come closer together, thereby fostering intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding between the peoples of Vietnam and Germany.
With more than 3.5 million followers on TikTok and Instagram, 3 million subscribers on YouTube, and over 100 million monthly views, she has built a wide-reaching influence in just a few years. In 2023, she was recognised by YouTube as one of the Creators on the Rise, affirming her impact in the field of digital content creation.
The exhibition runs until November 19 in Hanoi./.
