HÀ NỘI -- More than 30 Argentine photographers, led by the world famous nature Master photographer Diego Ortiz Mugica, will exhibit an extraordinary curated selection of images at the first biennial Photo Hanoi.

The exhibition under the title 50 YEARS – 50 IMAGES, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between Argentina and Việt Nam (1973-2023), will be presented at Complex 01 art space (No. 29 sub lane 31, lane 167 Tây Sơn District, Đống Đa District, Hà Nội) between May 6 and 15, 2023. Opening reception will take place on Saturday May 6 at 10.30 am.

When thinking about Argentina, the first ideas that come to our minds are football and the passion of its fans, Maradona and Messi, the highly fertile soil of the Pampas where grains and cattle grow, the legendary Malbec wine and delicious beef. Argentina is also world-renowned for its stunning and unique natural landscapes, from the Perito Moreno Glacier, the Iguazú Falls to the infinite Patagonia and the Andes mountain range. Argentina is also famous for the cosmopolitan city of Buenos Aires, Tango, polo, its infusion beverage mate and its theatres. But Argentina is much more than that. Argentina is diversity.

Two times Diego - City of Buenos Aires by Hugo Iezzi

“50 years – 50 images” is an exhibition that invites visitors to discover Argentina from another perspective, different from the traditional images that are usually depicted, but not less impressive.

With the language and expression of black and white photography as its main driving force, Diego Ortiz Mugica and the teachers and students from his school of photography portray Argentine people from different latitudes and nature in all their generosity and magnificence, offering a glimpse into Argentina through astonishing images.

The labyrinth of photographic gazes endows this exhibit with a particular artistic value and depicts an extensive journey throughout Argentina in search of unprecedented moments in a territory teeming with people, fauna, flora and remote landscapes. From the mountains of Jujuy province in the very North of Argentina; to the port of Buenos Aires, our first gateway to overseas; following our journey to Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego - the End of the World, this exhibition invites us to discover the beauties that can be found in Argentina, get closer to its people and delve into their customs, daily lives, ideas and wishes.

The viewpoints expressed in “50 years – 50 images” come together in communion with the scenery and the people, conveying a deep connection between the artists and the captured moment. The stillness of the images allows us to perceive the profound.

Sunrise in La Pampa, Carlos "Polito" Ulloa by Diego Ortiz Mugiga

The visualisation, the technique and the obsession with making high-quality photos are a way of respecting the viewer.

Diego Ortiz Mugica is a renowned Argentine photographer born in 1962. His book “Fly Fishing Moments” and his photos of Patagonia have travelled around the world. Ortiz Mugica’s work was exhibited at the most important museums and cultural institutions in Argentina, New York, Washington, Florencia, Frankfurt and Palma de Mallorca. His photos are part of remarkable international collections as well, including the National Fine Arts Museum, MEC, Arcade Foundation and Rabobank Foundation, among others. Several of his images are part of the prestigious "Great Masters of the 20th Century" - Smith collection. He is a reference for Zone System and Fine Art Printing techniques in South America. Ortiz Mugica gives seminars and teaches workshops in Buenos Aires and Bariloche, where he has his studio and school of photography.

For this exhibition, Ortiz Mugica selected photos of many artists including Esau García, Felicitas Bonino, Carolina Canziani, Pame Quirno, and Ximena Matienzo. VNS