Feast of art and music presented during Hanoi Creative Design Festival

Hanoi residents and tourists will have the chance to get inside the Hang Dau Water Tower when the 129-year-old building opens to the public today.

The space inside the building has been transformed into an impressive art venue with wooden walking paths and installations made from recycled waste.

The experience will be enhanced by sound and lighting installations implemented by a design team consisting of architect Cao The Anh, artist Nguyen Duc Phuong and their partners.

While the sound installation recreates those of water in nature, the lighting arrangement intensifies the visual effect of decorative objects made from urban waste.

The makeover of the century-old water tower is part of the ongoing 2023 Hanoi Creative Design Festival organised by the city and the Viet Nam Association of Architects.

Built by the French in 1894, the Hang Dau Water Tower is located at the intersection of Hang Than, Hang Luoc, Hang Giay, Hang Dau, Quan Thanh and Phan Dinh Phung streets. Together with the clean water supply system from Yen Phu Water Plant at that time, the water tower was the first significant public work that changed the urban landscape of Ha Noi.

Artist Phuong who has been working on the transformation said the circular wooden walking path around the water tower is removable and screw-free, harmless for the entire building structure.

Once the tower opens to visitors, slots will be available for groups of 20 to 30 people at a time.

“Alongside the matter of limited space inside the venue, we have prioritised a serene environment to ensure an immersive artistic experience,” said artist Phuong.

Crucial to creating a dynamic sound system are large water pots that are placed in several corners inside the tower. Visitors can enjoy various water sounds that mimic seas, rivers, springs, underground sources, and rainfall.

Dating back to the 19th century, the pots, once used to diffuse rainwater, now serve to amplify natural water sounds. Phuong explained that each pot generates a distinct sound achieved by pumping water into it and adjusting the water frequency and speed.

During the 2023 Hanoi Creative Design Festival which lasts until November 26, other historical sites like the Gia Lam Train Factory, Hanoi Railway Station and Long Bien Railway Station also host art events.

During the festival, Vietnam Railways will launch a three-car train between Hanoi and Gia Lam stations. There are two trains departing from Hanoi station, at 8 am and 1.20 pm every day, and two from Gia Lam Station at 10.55 am and 4 pm. The one-way ticket costs VND20,000 per person.

During the 30-minute journey, passengers will pass by the hundred-year-old Long Bien Railway Station and the iconic Long Bien Bridge. From the Gia Lam Station, they can continue their journey back to the past by visiting the nearby Gia Lam Train Factory to contemplate old French-style buildings and the Tu Luc locomotive – a symbol of the Vietnam railway.

Manufactured circa 1965 by engineers of the Gia Lam Train Factory, the locomotive transported goods, foodstuff, weapons and soldiers to support the nation's resistance war against the Americans.

“After the festival, we will evaluate the interest of tourists as well as the effectiveness of this route in attracting tourists and reviving Ha Noi's heritage, from which we will have proposals to operate this experience tour regularly," said Deputy General Director of Vietnam Railway Hoang Nang Khang.

The old factory transformed into an art complex

An old factory that is scheduled to be relocated out of the inner city, Gia Lam Train Factory has been transformed into an art complex, aiming to ‘awaken’ heritage to create new and creative values for the capital city.

The once-abandoned factory now is a major venue hosting a feast of art and music performances during the festival.

A number of exhibitions that blend visual splendours and unique installation artworks will take place at different workshops and warehouses in the factory.

Inspired by Mother Nature, the Tieng Goi (The Call) installation exhibition by artist Thu Tran presents more than 40 silk paintings. Besides, an installation using more than 2,000 metres of silk and cotton fabric has conveyed the message “Be grateful and cherish and preserve what Mother Nature has created for us”. The exhibition is at the factory’s Workshop 3B1.

The factory’s Power Station 33B hosts the exhibition Qua Ap (Overvoltage) by artists Vy Trinh and Van Do. The display showcases installations created from materials associated with the railway industry that were collected in the factory and neighbouring areas.

Artist Trinh Minh Tien unveils his artworks made from an old bonnet and car outer panels at his exhibition Thuy Phu (Water World), while sculptor Nguyen Manh Hung depicts the life of ants through his creative works.

A rock concert featuring a lineup of Vietnam’s favourite bands such as Khat, Thuy Trieu Do, Gas Station and Purple Blues will take place on an outdoor stage at the factory’s main yard tomorrow.

The ‘King Royal Pride 2023’ will gather graffiti artists who have been creating works on the walls of abandoned workshops in the factory. A performance combining graffiti and EDM (electronic dance music) will be held on November 24.

Viet Nam News

Asia News Network