City of culture: With this art project, for the first time contemporary art has been brought to the street level for the community to directly engage with art honouring Hà Nội’s rich heritage. |
HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese and South Korean artists worked together to turn the walls of the railway viaduct on Phùng Hưng Street in downtown Hà Nội into pieces of art.
The street, pedestrian-only, will be a destination for tourists and local people during the Lunar New Year celebrations, with numerous cultural and entertainment activities and folk games.
The murals are the result of an art project to renovate Phùng Hưng Street and introduce art into urban areas which began in August last year. Behind the project was the Hoàn Kiếm District People’s Committee, UN-Habitat and the Korea Foundation. The topics for the paintings are memories of old Hà Nội and Vietnamese culture.
The railroad viaduct starts from the Phùng Hưng-Trần Phú crossroads and runs to Long Biên Train Station, passing through Phùng Hưng and Gầm Cầu streets. The viaduct is part of the historic Long Biên Bridge, built in 1899-1902 by French architects.
Việt Nam News photographer Đoàn Tùng captured beautiful angles of the murals. — VNS
New Year party: The street is for pedestrians only, with cultural activities during the New Year celebrations. |
Musical: The art project serves the community by creating a public space and cultural activities. |
Colourful walk: A panoramic view of Phùng Hưng Street. The area has been turned into a pedestrianised street linking Đống Xuân market, to create a new highlight among the tourist spaces in the Old Quarter. |
History: The paintings evoke Hà Nội’s ancient culture, showing a city where culture and tradition are preserved. |
Natural beauty: Many people come to the site to enjoy the art and take photos. |