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The pilot urban railway project in Hanoi, the Nhon - Hanoi Station section, is not only a modern public transport project but also a symbol of cultural fusion, a testament to the enduring friendship between Vietnam and France.
The project utilizes state-of-the-art French urban rail technology and consistently holds a key position in high-level exchanges between the two governments. Funded by the French government through the Directorate General of the Treasury (DGT) and the French Development Agency (AFD), with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Investment Bank (EIB), the project also demonstrates France's long-term commitment to Hanoi in sustainable urban development.
The public artwork "Five o'clock in the morning, Hanoi awakens - Il est cinq heures, Hanoï s'éveille" depicts a massive fossilized train carriage made from 15,000 ceramic pieces.
The artwork is currently located at the S8 - Cau Giay metro station, aiming to enhance the public transportation experience and convey a message of environmental protection to every passenger on their green journey. This is a unique artistic highlight, contributing to spreading a profound message about culture and creativity.
The model train carriage is over 3.5 meters wide and sits on a hexagonal base. The artist drew inspiration from tram designs in the capital city at the beginning of the 20th century. He used composite sculptural material, silk-screen printed on mosaic, and completed the work in 5 months.
This is not only a modern public transport project, but also a symbol of cultural fusion, a testament to the friendship between Vietnam and France.
Every detail in the artwork serves as a reminder to viewers of the close connection between urban life and ecology, and of the commitments to environmental protection and green development that Hanoi has been pursuing. Interacting with Thu Le Park near the S8 station, a botanical garden reminiscent of Dong Ho folk paintings and Hang Trong comes to life vividly on the train's exterior, blending seamlessly with the landscape of the Voi Phuc Temple, one of the Four Guardian Temples of Thang Long.
The title of the work is reminiscent of Jacques Dutronc's classic song Il est cinq heures, Paris s'éveille (Five o'clock in the morning, Paris awakens), an immortal song about the bustling morning life of Paris.
The fusion of Vietnamese folk paintings with the elegant and sophisticated Toile de Jouy weaving technique, a time-honored art form of French culture, has inspired artist Xuan Lam to meticulously express each brushstroke, using a distinctive cross-weaving technique, creating a unique Vietnamese-French folk garden.
Due to its geographical shape resembling a regular hexagon, the map of France is often compared to a hexagon and even nicknamed "l'Hexagone" (meaning "Hexagon" in French). Located in the middle of the S8 station's transfer level, the fossilized train carriage stands silently amidst the endless flow of time, carrying within it an invitation to reflect on the harmony between humanity and nature, between the past and the present.
Located in the middle of the S8 station's transfer level, the fossilized train carriage stands silently amidst the endless flow of time, carrying within it an invitation to contemplate the harmony between humanity and nature.
The artwork "Five O'Clock in the Morning, Hanoi Awakens" by artist Nguyen Xuan Lam is a unique artistic highlight, contributing to the dissemination of a profound message about culture and creativity at the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2024. With the theme "Creative Crossroads," this year's festival aims to connect the past, present, and future through diverse art and design activities. This is the fourth time the festival has been held, and each year, its scale and influence have grown stronger, attracting widespread participation from creative professionals, art lovers, and the community of Hanoi.
