Cross-cultural photo album linking Vietnam and France
In August 2025, French writer-photographer Dominique de Miscault and Vietnamese cultural scholar Dr. Hoàng Thị Hồng Hà unveiled their collaborative masterpiece, the bilingual photo book "Việt Nam – Un voyage mémoriel". The book, a curated collection of photographs spanning over three decades, offers an intimate, historical, and everyday glimpse into Vietnam through de Miscault's lens.
De Miscault's first visit to Vietnam in 1992 was not driven by assignments but by a personal feeling that Vietnam was waiting for her. Since then, she has returned repeatedly, capturing quiet, authentic moments that reflect the resilience, soul, and evolving identity of the country.
The photos, taken before the internet and mobile phone eras, preserve various iconic scenes and traditions of Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh portraits, flag-raising at Ba Đinh Square, the Long Bien Bridge, the Taay people's then ritual in Lang Son, and the lives of coastal fishermen. Each photograph in the book is described as a mirror of memory, reflecting a country in constant change yet holding on to its soul.
The images are arranged thematically rather than chronologically, each framing a piece of personal and collective memory that embodies Vietnam’s cultural richness. The collaboration between de Miscault and Dr. Hoàng brings together photography and scholarly commentary, creating a dialogue between visual art and cultural history to deepen understanding.
The book launch event for "Việt Nam – Un voyage mémoriel" took place at the Huong Sac Vietnam Association in Paris, accompanied by a solemn piano performance of Vietnam's national anthem. The project exemplifies how art and scholarship can intersect to preserve collective memory and support a shared narrative that spans both nations.
Beyond photography, de Miscault's role extends to fostering cultural ties. As co-president of the Association of Vietnamese Quintessence in France, she has connected artists, researchers, and craftsmen to promote Vietnamese culture abroad, contributing to ongoing cultural exchange and dialogue.
The book aims to reach libraries, museums, and schools, introducing younger generations and international readers to a Vietnam beyond war narratives. It serves as a form of cultural soft diplomacy, promoting Vietnam’s values and heritage internationally while nurturing mutual respect and understanding between Vietnamese and French cultures. The book's launch events in Paris and Hanoi reinforce this ongoing dialogue, contributing to a renewed interest among French audiences in Vietnam’s language, culture, and history, thereby expanding people-to-people connections.
In sum, "Việt Nam – Un voyage mémoriel" is both a visual memoir and a cultural artifact that advances Vietnamese-French relations by celebrating Vietnam’s heritage and promoting intercultural dialogue through a bilingual photographic and textual journey.
- Artificial intelligence could be used to digitize the photos in "Viêt Nam – Un voyage mémoriel," preserving them for future generations and making them accessible for research and study in fields like home-and-garden, lifestyle, travel, books, and entertainment.
- The collaboration between Dominique de Miscault and Dr. Hoàng Thị Hồng Hà offers insights into the power of labor and connections between artists, scholars, and cultural enthusiasts in fostering shared narratives and promoting cultural exchange, such as in industries like space war and books.
- The success of "Viêt Nam – Un voyage mémoriel" can inspire similar projects that capture everyday scenes, traditional rituals, and personal histories, enriching our understanding of various lifestyles and cultures across the globe.
- With the book's launch events in Paris and Hanoi, the line between French and Vietnamese lifestyles has blurred, demonstrating how art, culture, and history can contribute to a space where people find common ground and shared interests, moving forward together in peace and mutual respect.
