Chiron Duong

How did your interest in photography start?
Photography captures the most intimate emotions, feelings and thoughts of both the photographer and the subject, condensing them into an instant that has no beginning or end.

And your project “Portraits of Ao Dai”, on the infinite variations of the traditional Vietnamese costume?
The Ao Dai is the symbol of Vietnamese identity and I wanted to show the influence of my culture of origin on my aesthetics: those rarefied shapes and delicate textures… The idea is to take 365 photos that tell just as many stories about the Ao Dai, from my childhood memories, to traditional representations in poetry and painting and the connection with a certain folklore. I want to talk about how Ao Dai has evolved in parallel with the country’s history, from troubled times and peaceful ones, and recount its transformation (and, at times, destruction), by contemporary designers. It is as if the entire history of my country was woven into its fabric.

How does Vietnamese culture influence your aesthetic?
It’s like when we talk about a good dish: I am interested in both the flavor and the appearance, but if I really have to choose between the two, I choose the taste, the substance. It’s the same with my photography: it might seem very aesthetic but the goal is to capture what differentiates Vietnam from other Asian countries. And I try to express it through the harmony of bright, mysterious, spiritual colors. This palette only works when combined with particular costumes, props and models and, when all the elements work together, they evoke the particular flavor of Vietnam. Or at least I hope so.