Pieces of Time

Photo: Thành Trung

Pieces of Time

Lacquer on three wood panels
70.9 x 90.6 inches | 180 × 230 cm each panel

Contemporary Art in the Vietnam National Assembly
Curated by Nguyễn Thế Sơn, 2018

Piece of Time is a site-specific installation composed of 240 lacquer panels arranged together like pieces of a puzzle. Each panel draws inspiration from motifs found in archaeological artifacts excavated beneath Vietnam’s National Assembly, a site that once served as the Citadel during the Ly-Tran period—two of the most prosperous and culturally rich eras in Vietnamese history.

The motifs—featuring abstract fauna, dragons, and phoenixes are fragments of a bygone time, reflecting the visual and spiritual of the ancient past. Initially, on tiles, ceramics, and architectural details, these patterns are reimagined in lacquer, a traditional Vietnamese medium known for its depth and luminosity. The labor-intensive process of layering and polishing reflects the act of uncovering history, where each layer reveals new possibilities. The panels are arranged like a puzzle, suggesting the fluid connections between past, present, and future. Shimmering with light and reflection, the lacquer surfaces offer a dynamic dialogue between what is remembered, reinterpreted, and left to imagine.