In a slum on the banks of the Red River, soiled kids playing in the middle-ground of the river, etc. are shown in impressive images at an installation exhibition entitled “Nomads in city”.

The exhibition at the Vietnam University of Fine Arts, 42 Yet Kieu, Hanoi, will run until April 7. Admission is free.

Painter Nguyen Hong Phuong from the Young Painters’ Club of the Vietnam Fine-art Association is displaying a real floating home from the river and journalist Vu Lam is displaying 126 photos depicting people’s lives on the river.

Below are some photos depicting the daily life of “nomads” in Hanoi:

The happiness of a poor couple in a slum on the Red River bank by Le Anh Dung.

Mr. Bai, who is called “King of Rubbish” at the floating Van Chai village by Viet Hung.

Washing vegetable by Le Anh Dung.

At Van Phuc floating village, people release nets to catch fish.

The husband fishes at “home” while the wife wash the rice to cook lunch.

This baby girl is named Nga, whose family is very poor and lives on a boat in the middle of the Red River.

Le Hong Thao, 44, left his hometown in the midland province of Phu Tho when

he was young. In 2001 he met a poor woman, who is ten years old older than him.

They live together at Bai Giua (the ground in the middle of the Red River).

They don’t have any children. A Buddhist monk gave them a doll and

told them to treat it as their daughter. They named the doll Le Hong Nhung.

Whenever they had a meal, they placed cooking at the lips

of the doll and lulled it to sleep every night. The couple died of

lung disease. This photo was taken by Le Anh Dung in 2004.

Bai Giua is the “natural beach and gym” of people who live in floating houses in the Red River.

Some rich people buy floating houses of nomads and re-decorate them as their pleasure-houses.

A foreign student tries to huddle her long legs in a small floating house.

Artist Nguyen Hong Phuong brought a floating house from Bai Giua to the yard of the

Hanoi Art University. He hung over 100 photos of the lives of nomads in the Red River around the house.

Colorful couches are placed around the “house” to highlight the contrariness of the two lives.

The house has been kept in its original condition.

The altar of the house owner inside.

PV