A large-scale work entitled 'Strong and Tough' by Nguyễn Giang. Photo Complex 01

HÀ NỘI  Artist Nguyễn Giang unveils four striking works at the Complex 01 space in Hà Nội, drawing on months spent immersed in the intense rhythm of a working railway factory for his first solo exhibition.

The works from his debut show, presented to the public in 2024, include a large composite piece measuring 600cm by 240cm. The industrial character and visible layers of history within the Complex 01 space create a strong resonance between Giang’s artworks and their surroundings.

Giang lived and worked inside the Gia Lâm Railway Factory for three months, where the clang of metal, the heat of mechanical workshops and the movement of machines formed the rhythm that shaped his creative process.

The works are a tribute to the quiet yet steadfast workers of Việt Nam’s railway engineering industry, their endurance, resilience and unwavering drive forward, which Giang witnessed, lived alongside and translated into each layer of paint.

“Through my work, I hope to share a bit of motivation with colleagues, friends and the next generation of young Vietnamese creators,” said Giang. “Keep being yourselves, keep working, keep improving and keep contributing beautiful artworks to life.”

To fully capture the industrial atmosphere, the artist used acrylic on plywood, materials chosen for their firmness and durability suited to the physicality of a factory environment.

During the three months of creation, the works were stored and tested directly inside the workshop, exposed to heat, dust and shifting weather conditions.

Each painting therefore carries natural traces of time, marks of wear, dust, earth and water that are inseparable from the factory itself.

Complex 01 space was once an industrial factory nearly half a century ago. It has since been reconstructed into a new space, preserving old memories while creating cultural values, contributing to the creative economy and supporting sustainable urban development. VNS