On the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the tradition of Hanoi National University, the art exhibition with the theme "Essential education traditions and liberation" will officially open to the public from May 16 to May 22 at building 19 Le Thanh Tong - one of the architectural works bearing the imprint of the ancient Indochina University.
The event is not only an art exhibition, but also a journey to take the public back in time to explore educational history, culture and knowledge through many creative forms of expression.
According to the organizers, the exhibition aims to "awaken memories" of the heritage space with a multi-sensory experience, where architecture, light, visual art and fashion blend in a contemporary creative flow.
The highlight of the opening ceremony is the video mapping performance on the ancient French architecture of building 19 Le Thanh Tong. The heritage walls will become a "giant screen", recreating the 120-year journey of formation and development of liberal arts education.
The ancient library space at the exhibition is built like a "flow of memories", recreating the journey of more than a century of formation and development of Vietnamese higher education associated with Hanoi National University.
Stepping into the room, viewers will experience an ancient Indochinese academic library with high wooden bookshelves to the ceiling, ancient tables and chairs, deep yellow lights and a series of historical documentary images arranged according to each development stage.
The central highlight of the room is a circular symbol with the words "1906 - 2026 | 120 years of tradition", placed above the architectural model of the Indochina University building on Le Thanh Tong street. The model is placed solemnly in the space as a symbol connecting the past, present and future of Vietnamese elite education.
Important historical milestones are recounted through a system of document boards placed interspersed among bookshelves. In the "Academic Inheritance" theme area, the exhibition recreates the milestone of 1945 - the time when Vietnam National University was established and opened its first term under the chairmanship of President Ho Chi Minh.
This is considered the first multi-disciplinary and multi-field university of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, laying the foundation for modern higher education in the country.
Continuing the historical flow, the "Promoting Tradition" area introduces the milestone of 1956 when Hanoi National University was established under the Government's Decree. The exhibition space emphasizes the role of Hanoi National University in inheriting academic traditions from Indochina University (1906), Vietnam National University (1945) and the School of Basic Sciences (1951). Black and white documentary photos, portraits of educators and scholars, and the "25th Anniversary of Hanoi National University" plaque create historical depth and emotions for viewers.
Meanwhile, the theme "Creating the Future" brings the public to the milestone of 1993 - the time when Hanoi National University was officially established under Decree 97/CP of the Government. The exhibition content recreates the orientation of building a national key university, playing a leading role in the innovation of Vietnamese higher education in the new era.
In addition, the public also has the opportunity to admire many types of art such as artistic photos, fine art embroidery, installations, specimens, Indochinese lanes or great statues arranged in the special architectural space of the heritage building.
The exhibition also introduces creative fashion collections by students of the Interdisciplinary School of Science and Arts in combination with Chula fashion house. The designs are inspired by traditional culture but expressed in modern fashion language, creating a cross between heritage and the modern breath.
The organizers expect the exhibition to become a cultural and artistic rendezvous for young people, artists, researchers and the public who love creative space, and at the same time spread pride in the educational tradition of Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
