Ha Noi Museum launches installation space from aircraft wreckage and bomb casings

The “War and Peace” installation space, created by artists Thu Tran and Tay Phong, leaves a strong visual impression as it is formed from aircraft wreckage and bomb casings collected and preserved by Ha Noi Museum.

Instead of displaying the artefacts only as historical evidence, the artists have placed them within a new aesthetic structure, creating a dialogue between past and present, between memories of war and aspirations for peace.

The work is constructed on two main steel-frame structures connected by a pathway symbolising division caused by war. At the end of this path appears an image of a trellis of flowers, lotus blossoms and multicoloured silk ribbons — symbols of peace and rebirth. Aircraft fragments are suspended at mid-level height, s creating a shift in the approach to the artifacts, from a historical perspective to one of reflection and contemplation.

Besides the cold metallic materials, spherical forms, geometric shapes and strips of “Do” paper and pineapple paper coated with lacquer are interwoven, creating strong visual contrasts. The installation space also resonates with a relief by artist Nguyen Hai depicting the event in which Vietnamese forces captured pilot John McCain at Truc Bach Lake on October 26, 1967.

On the same day, Ha Noi Museum also inaugurated the installation space “Spring Dance” by artist Nguyen Duc Phuong.

This space combines bamboo materials with vibrant colour strips to create a lively visual effect, evoking the rhythm of spring and the spirit of renewal. The image of the whip in traditional tuong (classical opera) is arranged soaring upward in mid-air, evoking Saint Giong — a symbol of resilience and national strength.

From the symbolic whip motif in traditional performance art, the artist has developed a contemporary visual installation, conveying a message of new energy and confidence in the future.

Ha Noi Museum officially put its regular exhibition spaces into operation one month ago and attracted a large number of visitors during the recent Lunar New Year holiday.

With a rich collection of artefacts covering diverse themes from nature to history and culture of the capital, Ha Noi Museum is one of the city’s leading destinations for tourism, study and research.

The simultaneous organisation of two installation spaces with distinct expressive tones creates a harmonious whole: one contemplative and reflective on the past, the other vibrant and oriented towards the future.

Through this, Ha Noi Museum continues to affirm its role as a creative cultural institution where heritage is not only preserved but also “awakened” through new artistic language, spreading messages of peace, creativity and sustainable development.