Why am I deluded, attracted by the theme of Buddhism?
Reality I also can’t explain this matter , beginning is the meeting and rather interesting talk with a monk at an exhibition about Buddhism at Ha Noi, 2005. After that because of work ( I’m a journalist) , had many chances to visit many pagodas, the more curious of “religion” world of monks.
A world with part of closed tightly but the person outside seems to be difficult to penetrate into it. From the way of living, activities and used language daily , monks also have a system of own learning letters , such as “eat “ is “thọ trai”, “sleep” is “lâm thụy”, from “Buddha Amitabha” means multi meanings : both to greet , and to inquire…
Buddhism was introduced into Vietnam from very early , just from early AD . When entered into Vietnam , Buddhism was linked with the local religions such as: divine worship at temple, worship Mother at district to create a Buddhist background not original … Following statistics of Vietnam Buddhism , presently there are 45 million VN followers took refuge in the Buddha, there are 839 units of Buddhist families , and about 44,498 Buddhist monks and nuns , more than 14,775 pagodas , institutions, Buddhist monastery…
One in the factors made many VN persons to choose Buddhism to worship because it explaind the person’s mysery by samsara theory , and teaches persons how to live completely to enjoy present time . Buddhism is a religion of peace.
My project “Dharma and Life” started from 2006 and exhibited three times at Viet Nam and Singapore. This series named “Who are we” belong to “Dharma and Life” project. But it is a concept images very different far from documentary images in three parts before.During my journey, I have met many monks, chatting and photographing them.
I had the close look at the faces of monks and realized a thing. The boundary between Dharma and life is very fragile. “Greed, Hatred and Delusion” is great obstacle, which all of monks have to overcome on their path to Buddha.. And I look back at my own face. Look deeply to understand myself clearly , to know my limit. And try to answere the old question: Who are we, Where do we come from, Where are we going, in my private way.
About Viet Van Tran
Viet Van Tran born 06.12.1971. Graduated with a BA in cultutral. Had 9 solo exhibions, many group exhibition (US, UK, Singapore, Argentina Urugoay, Czech, Spain…), and release 4 book. As the first and only Vietnamese photographer have porfolio was collective by Win- Initiative (New York, US). As the first and only Vietnamese photographer won the “Prix de la Photographie, Paris” Px3 ( 7 consecutive years), Photo Master Cup (UK-2 consecutive years), International Photography Awards (IPA, US-6 consecutive years), Pollux Annual Awards (UK-4 years), Photoannual Awards (Czech, 3 consecutive years), Moscow International Foto Award (MIFA, Rusian), Art of Photography Show (US), shorlist London international creative competion (LICC-3 years).
Activity in photography with the personal project of art and documentary. As the jury of many national photo contest and cinema contest. Featured in over 250 Vietnamese newspaper articles and the subject of many interviews on Vietnamese cultural and arts programmes on Vietnamese television. Some pictures were published in Independent, Telegarph, Wink Magazine, 43mm Magazine, Obscura Magazine, Photoreview.com, Blur Magazine… [Official website]
