Vitality: Iconic Images, Hidden Stories

Step into the streets of Vancouver’s Chinatown through the lens of Fred Herzog. A new exhibit reopening the Chinatown Storytelling Center, Vitality brings together a striking selection of Herzog’s photographs, capturing daily life in Chinatown, Strathcona, and along historic Hastings St. from the 1950s to 1970s. Known for his masterful use of Kodachrome colour, Herzog documented the heyday of a neighbourhood in transformation — family-run shops, vibrant street scenes, and quiet moments of resilience and joy.

Each photograph is paired with personal and historical narratives uncovered by the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, adding new layers of meaning to Herzog’s iconic images. Scan QR codes throughout the exhibition to hear firsthand reflections that bring these moments to life.

Blending photography with storytelling, Vitality uncovers the hidden stories behind Herzog’s iconic images, offering a richer, more nuanced view of these historic neighbourhoods. By capturing the vitality, creativity, and resilience of the community during its heyday, this exhibition serves as a powerful reminder of what these neighbourhoods once were—and what they can become again.

Vitality, the companion publication to the exhibition, is a striking, full-colour book featuring Fred Herzog’s iconic photographs of Chinatown and its surrounding neighbourhoods from the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s is available for purchase at Foo Hung Curios.