Resurrection

Hanoi, Vietnam

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UNITY

Resurrection

Hanoi, Vietnam

Firm

TIA-THUỶ NGUYỄN

Type

Landscape + Planning › Public Park

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2025

SIZE

0 sqft - 1000 sqft

BUDGET

$10K - 50K

In the wake of Typhoon Yagi, which devastated Hanoi on September 7, 2024, over 25,000 trees were damaged or uprooted across the inner city. Among the fallen was a 70-year-old Nacre tree (Khaya senegalensis) standing 20 meters tall in Co Tan Square, Hoan Kiem District. Originally brought from Africa during the French colonial period as part of an early urban landscaping initiative, this tree bore historical and botanical significance. Rather than allowing its story to end in destruction, acclaimed Vietnamese artist Tia-Thuy Nguyen reimagined its destiny - transforming the fallen trunk into a large-scale public artwork titled Resurrection.

Working directly with the natural form of the tree, Nguyen and her team spent over 6,000 hours handcrafting a new metallic skin from 5mm stainless steel plates. Each plate was meticulously hammered to match the organic curves of the original trunk, creating a fluid, bark-like surface that gleams with iridescence under sunlight. This layer is not merely decorative—it forms both the frame and the lifeblood of the sculpture’s new existence.

From its branches sprout thousands of hand-forged steel leaves and quartz crystal “flowers,” each reflecting and refracting light. The shimmering surfaces capture sunlight throughout the day, transforming the work into a living performance of color and reflection. Over 6 tons of metal were used in the creation of Resurrection, blending the rigidity of steel with the softness of light and memory.

Now reinstalled at its original site, the tree once again commands the space—not as a memory of what was lost, but as a vivid presence of what can be reborn. The sculpture’s iridescent skin and gem-like blossoms playfully interact with sunlight, animating the space with ever-changing patterns and reflections. No two moments of light on Resurrection are ever the same, offering viewers a unique experience with each encounter.
Nguyen sees light as an active collaborator—"a playful partner"—in the work. In Resurrection, light is not just illumination; it is agency, transformation, and renewal. The artwork transcends sculpture to become a daily, evolving performance choreographed by the movement of the sun.

By fusing nature, art, and history, Resurrection reflects a deeper narrative of continuity in the face of destruction. It bridges the past and present, inviting global audiences to reconsider the boundaries between death and life, object and memory, art and environment. The installation speaks to the resilience of nature, the cycle of rebirth, and the human capacity to find beauty in loss.

Tia-Thuy Nguyen’s work offers a profound response to ecological trauma and urban change, encouraging a rethinking of how we relate to the natural world. Resurrection is more than a monument—it is a symbol of transformation, remembrance, and the enduring energy of life.

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Resurrection

Hanoi, Vietnam

Other Projects by TIA-THUỶ NGUYỄN

UNITY

Resurrection

Hanoi, Vietnam

Product Spec Sheet

Collaborating Firms

Team