The exhibition "Traces of Ancient Civilization: Reflecting Thang Long" opened on December 10 at the Temple of Literature, showcasing installation works inspired by the Thang Long Imperial Citadel.

With works of different styles, the exhibition brings viewers to simple, rustic stories about tilling the land in the past, the first people to reclaim the land, battles in history to defend the land, and festivals imbued with Vietnamese cultural identity.

The works describe historical places and relics associated with the formation and development of Hanoi, such as the Temple of Literature, Khue Van Cac, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, One Pillar Pagoda, Turtle Tower, Huc Bridge, Dong Xuan Market, Long Bien Bridge, among others... showing the unique cultural and artistic development of the ancient capital.

Visitors contemplate artworks at the exhibition. Photo: VNA

The exhibition is divided into eight interconnected small thematic areas, including The Red River; Water Treatment; Reclamation, Cultivation, Harvesting; The Formation of Boat Wharfs; The Construction of the Capital; The Capital through the Ages; The Capital with Festivals; and The Image of Water.

There, visitors can admire Thang Long Dance, a work made of synthetic materials by sculptor Nguyen Truong Giang, which expresses emotions about the rhythm of the flow from the source to the end of the Red River.

Flower of Wave by artist Phan Minh Bach includes three large silk paintings depicting the image of the To Lich River, the dragon symbol of the Ly Dynasty, and the image of the West Lake using projection technology.

The installation work Double Boat, created by artist Vu Xuan Dong using copper and lacquer boxes, tells the story of ancestors building dikes to tame the river. Meanwhile, the installation work Thousand Years of Reflection by artist Nguyen Tuan Dung, with synthetic materials of ceramic, composite, LED, and acrylic, shows the remaining traces of dynasties through periods of Vietnamese culture and history.

The installation work Thousand Years of Reflection by artist Nguyen Tuan Dung. Photo: The Hanoi Times

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Le Xuan Kieu, Director of the Center for Cultural and Scientific Activities at the Temple of Literature, said the exhibition tells stories about the long history of Vietnam and the heritage of Thang Long-Hanoi.

Through the exhibition, visitors would see the values of Thang Long-Hanoi culture in contemporary life, somewhat transforming the Temple of Literature into a creative center where artists and creators would be inspired and prolific.

Speaking on behalf of nine artists participating in the exhibition, artist Vu Xuan Dong said that when working on this theme, the authors struggled to find a way to express their works and agreed that each person would be responsible for one content of the exhibition. "We all love the traditional culture of Thang Long-Hanoi, so the expression must be both natural and meaningful," he said.

The exhibition will run until January 2, 2024.