With this ambitious work, Tia has opened another door for the West to enter the world of contemporary Vietnamese art, wandering on the border between epic poetry, Central Highlands architecture, Buddhist rituals, and the craft practices of Vietnamese fine arts.
The silver block of the Silver Room artwork is made from two large monolithic slabs, covered with a layer of sparkling silver on the outside.
Inspired by the architecture of the Rong houses of the ethnic groups in the Northern Central Highlands that Tia was associated with during her student years of practical drawing, "Silver Room" is the same size as a real house, with a total height of 16.2 meters, a width of 6 meters and a length of 14.9 meters. To realize the work "Silver Room" in France, the artist had to calculate all the changes in humidity and climate affecting the wood. It took 10 months for village elder Ynut to find suitable wood materials and carefully process the wood before assembling the work. The entire system of 26 pillars and floors is made from about 1,300 cubic meters of red sen wood and the open roof structure is built from old bamboo trunks from 4 to 12 meters high. All joints of the Rong house are tied with rope, no nails are used. Only village elder - artisan Ynut knows how to build the roof, tie the bamboo and instruct the youth to follow suit. “Building a roof is truly a sublime art, passed down through many generations. All the rain, wind, and storms on the upper floors cannot defeat the human strength, wisdom, and traditional experience. Those who have not witnessed or done it will find it hard to imagine” - Tia shared about one of the challenges when creating the work. This architecture stands tall but seems to be immersed in the mountainous landscape of Aix-en-Provence, making the work not only a large-scale sculpture, but also a site-specific installation. The gaps between the bamboo and wooden bars create patterns of light and shadow, making the work itself constantly change over time and weather, never repeating itself.
Going up the stairs, you will encounter a square room with a single entrance, the structure inspired by the Buddhist concept of "Tam Sinh Thach". The room's dimensions are measured by the Lo Ban ruler according to East Asian feng shui, to choose a lucky number for the homeowner (3012 x 2092 x 2320 mm). The room is built from two monolithic stone slabs weighing more than 2 tons, inspired by the "two stone pillars of Thuc Phan" on Nghia Linh mountain. It is a manifestation of brotherhood and the will to preserve the country of the Vietnamese people. The two stone slabs are joined together, leaving a gap for light to enter, referring to the presence of the "Sun God" in the famous epic "Dam San" - the brave warrior who went to find light for the village.
The outside of the room is covered with a layer of silver from Kieu Ky village with a tradition of more than 300 years of making gold and silver, going through more than 40 extremely complicated stages, to make the "Silver Room" sparkle, reflecting the sunlight like a mirror. The structure of the small entrance with a high threshold makes viewers lift their feet and bow their heads when entering the "Silver Room". Unintentionally, they perform a ritual to show respect to the Buddha inside, in a moment they become a part of the work. If lucky, viewers can witness the magic when the sunlight shines through the crack of the door, illuminating the white quartz Buddha statue, bringing a magical halo. It is also this unique "moment" that emphasizes the word "fate" in Buddhism, the right person, the right time, cannot be forced. The work expresses the artist's own lifestyle and belief in a peaceful realm in the soul, amidst the chaos of conflicts between the past - present - future; between desire and renunciation; between homeland identities and integration with the world.
The architecture of the Rong house is inspired by the stilt houses of the Northern Central Highlands, Vietnam.
The more she travels and crosses borders, the more Tia Thuy Nguyen feels the sacredness of identity and tradition. It is an invisible thread that connects her to her homeland, regardless of geographical boundaries. For her, art has never been a destination, but a journey that brings a part of Vietnamese culture and soul to the world. Silver Room, with its multi-technique interaction, integrates many art forms, closely connected with each other in terms of shape, space, color, light, and materials, creating a unique visual-spiritual effect. This bold and creative light installation leads us into a sacred and emotional space of a vast anthropological mosaic, interwoven with many cultures. Whether real or virtual, expressive or deeply hidden, all bear the mark of passion and creativity in her delicate art of Truth - Goodness - Beauty.
Artist Tia Thuy Nguyen with her work
Tia Thuy Nguyen's "Silver Room" is the first work by a Vietnamese artist to be included in Château La Coste's prestigious contemporary art collection, alongside contemporary works by renowned artists such as Ai Weiwei, Louise Bourgeois, Tracy Emin, Sophie Calle, Franz West... "Silver Room" is currently on display on the estate grounds at 2750 Route De La Cride, 13610 Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, Aix-en-Provence, France.
More information:
Tia-Thuy Nguyen (born 1981) was born and raised in Hanoi. After graduating from the Vietnam University of Fine Arts (2006), she received a scholarship to the National Academy of Arts and Architecture of Kiev, Ukraine, where she continued her Master's studies and received her PhD in art in 2014. Tia-Thuy Nguyen has nearly 20 years of experience practicing painting on a variety of materials. Her works often focus on projecting her observations of the world around her, expressing the chaotic but colorful emotions of modern women. In 2016, Tia founded The Factory Contemporary Arts Center, the first space in Vietnam built exclusively for contemporary art, to connect the community of artists, designers, creators and create a platform for education and criticism. Most recently, Forbes magazine honored her as one of the "50 most influential women in Vietnam in 2019".
Château La Coste is a complex of vineyards, wineries, art museums, resorts and restaurants, which was started in 2012 by Mr. Patrick McKillen. Since 2017, Château La Coste has officially launched to the public a collection of modern and contemporary art with important artists from around the world such as Louise Bourgeois, Andy Goldworthy, Tracey Emin, Alexander Calder, Richard Serra and Ai Weiwei...etc. See more about Château La Coste at:www.chateau-la-coste.com
