Thai Phien's book, Nang sau rem, received the highest honor in the Theoretical Criticism Works and Photo Books category, as no gold medal was awarded. Vu Anh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the art council, stated that the 9-member council highly praised the work's content, unique perspective, and technical sophistication, reflecting the photographer's dedication throughout its creation.

Photo: Vietnam Women's Publishing House

Photographer Thai Phien expressed his surprise, stating he did not expect to win such a high award. Upon receiving the news from the organizers, he immediately contacted the 15 models and yoga instructors, thanking them for their support in completing the project. "I am grateful for the times they endured pain and sweated while performing difficult poses", he said.

Thai Phien has been developing this photo collection since 2019, comprising approximately 250 images. The photographer shared that the idea originated during the initial outbreak of Covid-19, with a message encouraging people to exercise indoors. Subsequently, he continued the project to honor women and emphasize the importance of health in modern life.

The models are all yoga instructors, aged 20 to 35, capable of performing complex exercises. He explained that he did not actively persuade subjects to participate, fearing they might perceive it negatively. Instead, through referrals from one familiar model, others sought out the photographer themselves.

Photo: Thai Phien

According to the author, many photographers globally have captured yoga, making it challenging to create and explore the beauty of this discipline from a personal perspective. The biggest difficulty for the author during the series' execution was selecting angles and lighting to capture the models' poses. He chose a black and white aesthetic to highlight yoga's gentle nature and avoid any vulgar connotations. In 2024, Thai Phien received permission from the Lam Dong Department of Culture and Sports to open the Nang sau rem exhibition, with no age restrictions for visitors.

Photo: Provided by subject

Photographer Thai Phien, 66, originally from Hue, began art photography in 1992 while working as an agricultural and forestry engineer. He has won 50 national and international awards and holds the title of Exceptional Distinguished Photographer from the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists. Over 10 years, he unsuccessfully applied three times for permits to open art nude exhibitions. In 2018, the photographer launched his first exhibition in TP HCM and released the photobook Mien co tich. He subsequently organized three additional exhibitions in other localities.

In recent years, prejudices surrounding nude paintings and photographs have gradually eased. In September 2017, photographer Hao Nhien became the first artist to open a nude photography exhibition after obtaining a license, garnering public interest. One year later, Thai Phien and 9 other photographers presented works of the same genre, following an invitation from the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibitions.

The 'Distinguished Photography' award is presented annually by the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists (VAPA). This year, in the photo works category, the association awarded two gold medals to Tran Le Huy for his collection "Metro tien vao ky nguyen moi" and Vu Ngoc Hoang for his single photo "Tu hao khong quan Viet Nam", along with three silver medals and 10 bronze medals. In the Theoretical Criticism Works and Photo Books category, besides Thai Phien's silver medal, the organizers awarded four bronze medals.

Video: Mai Nhat

Mai Nhat