French photographer Rehahn, who has been picked as one of the world’s 20 most renowned photographers in 2017 by the international photography site www.webneel.com, is putting on a permanent photo exhibition at Hoi An Museum in the World Heritage-listed town of Hoi An in the central province of Quang Nam.

One of Rehahn’s photos features Cau Bridge or the Japanese Bridge in the ancient town of Hoi An 

The exhibition features 16 photographs depicting the natural landscapes and daily lives of local people in the ancient city. One of the highlights of the exhibition is the photo titled “Hidden Smiles” featuring the 79-year-old boat rower Bui Thi Xong on the Hoai River in Hoi An, who has been dubbed as one of the most beautiful women in Vietnam by international newspapers and magazines such as National Geographic, the Los Angeles Times and the BBC.

The 38-year-old told the Daily in an email that he loves the charming landscapes and tranquil atmosphere in Hoi An where he can easily find a slow pace of life without pollution and noise so that he can focus on seeking sources of inspiration to create artistic works.

“I have still no intention to come back to my homeland in France as Hoi An has a lot to impress me. The exhibition continues my mission over the past years to help turning the ancient city into the most visit-worthy destination in Vietnam as a gift that I present to my second home,” Rehahn added.

This is not the first time he has implemented cultural activities to promote the city’s tourism image to international friends as Rehahn has earlier opened two outdoor exhibitions on An Hoi pedestrian square along the Hoai River.

In addition, he came up with the idea of turning Phan Boi Chau Street in Hoi An into the French-Vietnamese cultural and artistic street “Rue Des Arts”, under the patronage of the French Consulate General in Vietnam. On the street, Rehahn has set up the Precious Heritage museum which houses a vivid collection of photos about costumes and portraits of the Vietnamese ethnic minorities that he had captured during his seven-journey of living in the country.

He had traveled more than 35 countries before he decided to settle down in Hoi An.

Last year, he also opened a new gallery called Couleurs d’Asie by Rehahn – Saigon at 151/7 Dong Khoi Street in HCMC’s District 1 to mark the 10-year milestone of his career as photographer.

The exhibition is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The museum is located at 10B, Tran Hung Dao Street, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province.

SGT