All Seattle 2012 student matinees are full with lengthy waiting lists.

“Vietnam is no longer the war that involved many Americans and changed modern history, but a country that Americans are beginning to know and find fascinating.” – Catherine Karnow.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, photographer Catherine Karnow is celebrated for her vibrant, emotional, and sensitive photographs of people and cultures. She has traveled the globe to capture a range of fascinating subjects, including Australian Aborigines, Bombay movie stars, and Prince Charles. But Vietnam is the country that has stolen her heart.

Karnow first traveled to Vietnam in 1990, to witness a culture emerging from dark years of postwar poverty and strict Communist rule. Her images captured a rough, gritty, timeworn place, but also romantic scenes like the spectacular island archipelago of Halong Bay and the nostalgia of elegant colonial-era architecture. Karnow also investigated the legacy of war in Vietnam, documenting the ongoing impact of Agent Orange and the dilemma of the Amerasians—children of U.S. servicemen and Vietnamese women who remained behind after the war. She returned to document Vietnam’s opening to the West and its rediscovery both by investors and adventurous tourists. Today, her images reveal a country impatient with the present, scrambling to enjoy newfound prosperity.

Spend an evening with this brilliant photojournalist—immersed in her extraordinary stories and a panorama of unforgettable images. Gain intimate new insights into a country that America has begun to embrace, years after a war divided us.

Recommended for grades 7–12.

Return to the Student Matinees in Seattle main page.

View our Student Matinees in Seattle FAQ page.