A captivating new art installation in Hanoi is set to enchant both residents and visitors, adding fresh vibrancy to the capital’s cultural scene.
The launch ceremony of the Solidarity art installation by artist Tia-Thuy Nguyen took place on the evening of October 26 at August 19 Flower Garden, Cua Nam Ward, Hanoi. Photo: Cong Tho/The Hanoi Times
Hanoi has officially unveiled the monumental public art installation: Ket doan or Solidarity, by renowned artist Tia-Thuy Nguyen, celebrating the profound and resilient Vietnamese spirit of national unity and collective strength.
The launch ceremony was held on the evening of October 26 at the August 19 Flower Garden, a site deeply connected to Hanoi’s historical and cultural heritage. The event affirmed the artwork’s significance as both a contemporary artistic achievement and an important civic statement.
The vibrant artwork adds a striking highlight to Hanoi’s urban landscape. Photo: Pham Vu Tung
Speaking at the inauguration, Nguyen Quoc Hoan, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Cua Nam Ward, underscored the profound ideological message embedded within the striking metal installation.
“The ‘Solidarity’ artwork is not merely an aesthetic construct but a vital reminder of the strength derived from unity. It employs the logical metaphor that each individual citizen is a sturdy, autonomous tree. Yet, when these stand side-by-side, they instantaneously form a vast forest, an endless resource of collective power and resilience essential for the community’s progress,” he stated.
Echoing this sentiment, historian Duong Trung Quoc characterized the installation as a “profound expression of urban culture,” noting the return of sophisticated art to the public sphere, where its influence is most vividly expressed within the shared rhythms of city life.
Gleaming metallic trees bloom with radiant glass flowers, reflecting light like living sculpture. Photo: tapchikientruc.com.vn
Artist Tia-Thuy Nguyen explained the installation’s conceptual foundation, positioning it as an immersive dialogue between historical memory and contemporary artistic vision.
The choice of the August 19 Flower Garden, the historic location of the 1945 uprising, was deliberate, serving as a “living symbol” that perpetuates the spirit of national solidarity.
“For the Vietnamese people, the forest has always represented more than just a place of shelter. It is the foundational ground where life and the national will take root. From this profound cultural belief, ‘Solidarity’ was conceived as a bridge between the past and present, a nexus where our history and communal emotion converge,” the artist noted.
Amid the verdant calm of August 19 Flower Garden, the artwork stands out like a gleaming symbol of creativity in Hanoi’s vibrant heart. Photo: tapchikientruc.com.vn
The installation comprises 18 abstract metal “trees” arranged in a circular formation. Each stainless-steel trunk tapers gracefully skyward, a metallic embodiment of both the nation’s resilience and its inherent tenderness.
The artwork represents a marked technical evolution from Thuy Nguyen’s earlier large-scale piece, Hoi sinh -Revival. The team employed refined metal-sculpting techniques, with every joint manually welded and each curve precisely sculpted, culminating in a distinctive artistic language.
The trunks of “Solidarity” gleam with a polished metallic luster, presenting an abstract yet palpably alive form. Across these mirrored surfaces, the artist has meticulously adorned motifs of flowers, leaves, doves, and pinwheels using traditional Vietnamese materials like glass and ceramic alongside stainless steel.
Tia-Thuy Nguyen’s artwork embodies both a contemporary artistic achievement and a meaningful civic statement. Photo: tapchikientruc.com.vn
This interplay between hard and soft, solid and fragile materials achieves a sophisticated visual harmony- a lyrical conversation between contemporary concepts and time-honored craftsmanship.
Positioned in the bustling heart of the city, the installation is designed to be fully integrated into the public space. Visitors who step inside its luminous circle are invited to become participants, enveloped in an experience where light, sound, memory, and emotion intertwine.
The “Solidarity” project reinforces Cua Nam Ward’s strategic initiative to cultivate a center of “Culture – Civilization – Creativity,” reaffirming art’s timeless power to connect hearts, generations, and communities across the capital.
By Jenna Duong
