Brian Jeffrey
The photography community is advocating for increased transparency and the adherence to ethical practices following the recent rescindment of multiple awards due to rule violations.
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The awarded photograph “Afternoon at the Construction Site” by Lam Dieu Trung has had its prize revoked. Photo credit: Lam Dieu Trung. |
Vietnamese photography competitions have been engulfed in controversy over the past few months.
On August 29, the Ho Chi Minh City Photography Association celebrated its 49th Traditional Artistic Photography Festival, presenting the Bronze Medal to Lam Dieu Trung’s piece titled “Chieu Cong Truong” (Afternoon at the Construction Site).
However, the award was taken back shortly after it was revealed that the cloud element in the image was not originally part of the photographer’s work, but rather obtained from Adobe’s stock image archive.
In a similar incident, on August 23, the image “Anh Sang Tuong Lai” (Light of the Future) received the Gold Medal at the Eastern South Regional Artistic Photography Festival, only to have the prize revoked shortly thereafter due to it being captured outside the designated region, violating the festival’s rules.
The photo “Tan Binh Len Duong Nhap Ngu” (New Soldiers Set Off to Enlist) was awarded the Silver Medal at the Northern Central Region Artistic Photography Festival 2024, but faced backlash for its perceived artistic deficiencies.
In June, awards were unexpectedly withdrawn from various submissions, including the top prize, in the Vietnam Global Photography 2024 contest, with no clear explanations given.
The controversies have not been limited to specific events; a photo from the 51st Hanoi Artistic Photography Competition in 2021 was criticized for being digitally altered, despite the photographer’s clarifications.
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Ho Sy Minh, Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists, notes that insufficient funding is a significant obstacle to the growth of photography in Vietnam. |
In an interview with Tien Phong newspaper, Ho Sy Minh addressed these matters, clarifying that award rescindments stem from participant missteps rather than issues from judges or organizers. He underscored the necessity of integrity and accountability from all entrants.
Minh acknowledged the repetitive nature of regional competitions, which can lead to bland submissions, citing cases where artists resubmit previously awarded works with minor changes.
Despite these hurdles, the VAPA persists in conducting regional festivals, striving for improved event quality through equitable and transparent evaluation methods.
Minh pointed out that many photographers lack formal education, which perpetuates many challenges in the field. He mentioned the complexity of assigning judges, who often face low pay and the risk of backlash.
To elevate competition standards and transparency, he proposed the selection of dedicated and unbiased judges, along with incorporating theoretical critics in both the organizing and judging phases.
He also highlighted that inadequate funding remains a crucial barrier to the progress of photography in Vietnam.
Moving forward, the VAPA aims to convene discussions to inspect and tackle the issues spotlighted by the recent controversies.
The intention is to refine the quality of forthcoming competitions, ensuring that recognition is bestowed fairly and with integrity.
