Photovoice: river pollution through fresh lenses

Another major project that I've been involved with this year is a photography exhibition called, "Mirror? If the river could speak." But it's not just an exhibition. Here's a press release that I helped write for the Museum of Ethnology, one of the most prominent museums in Hà Nội:

"On 1 June 2008, Mirror? If the river could speak will open at the outdoor exhibition area of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. This photography exhibition is the result of a project that brings together community, environment, youth, and creativity. 19 young photographers from the Youth Union of Thinh Quang ward in Hanoi worked under the guidance of Paul Zetter, director of Ensemble Creative Training and Development, and Action for the City, a local NGO with a passion for the city. The project was funded by the SIDA Environmental Fund.

"Mirror? uses the technique of photovoice, a community-building methodology that aims to deepen and enrich a person’s engagement with their community at different levels, both personal and social. The end product of mainstream photography projects—the photographs—becomes secondary in photovoice where a renewed sense of engagement in the community, the making of new relationships and personal growth are the primary goals.

"The project focused on building the participant’s confidence, self esteem and self expression so they feel confident to use basic cameras as a tool of inquiry—a mirror for their new awareness and interest to rediscover their community. The cameras were basic and the photography training rudimentary to minimize pressure to take ‘beautiful’ photographs at the expense of full engagement with the community.

"60 photographs will be displayed at the exhibition. The main subject of Mirror? is the To Lich River, famous for its past beauty and present pollution. Some pictures in this exhibition expose the raw and filthy aspects of the river while others depict hope and humor. The questions asked by all of them are, 'If the river could speak, what would it say? Is the river a reflection of our lives?' The exhibition invites the viewers to reflect on issues that face the city.

"Before this exhibition, Mirror? was displayed at the Thinh Quang Primary School, Thai Thinh Junior Secondary School, and a teacher's conference put on by UNESCO. The current exhibition has been redesigned and reprinted for display at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology."

We began this project back in September and it is still going. I helped document the workshops in photos and notes, helped design the exhibition, and did a lot of the behind-the-scenes tasks along with the other staff at Action for the City. This project has been especially exciting for me, to see an alternative and creative approach to development and to use stories and photos for a potentially heavy and dry topic like river pollution.