Leaning anchor

"neo NGHIÊNG NGHIÊNG ". LEANING anchor
Site-specific art
Fabric, wood, cable, video 7’

From the Dong Duong Lang Du project from 2016

by Lê Phi Long

 2016 -

Many thank : Heritage Space, 6 Nguyen Hoang, Hanoi, Việt Nam

Curator: Talkingpartner : Dr. Jay Koh

Special thanks to : K.L

Assistant Researcher :  Anne Vo (Ngân)

Photographer& cameraman : Duong Thanh Quang and Heritage team // 

Film Editor:

Ben House - Thao Dinh Bui  // Father Ngọc - Ka Đơn // Church St. Nicholas Cathedral  in Đà Lạt

“neo Nghiêng Nghiêng” executed in Heritage Space, Hanoi. An artwork using the material from " Hic Domus Est Dei" no2.

 "The Leaning Anchor" captures a piece conducted at Long Bien Bridge, Hanoi. Long Bien Bridge is also known as the Doumer Bridge, named after Governor-General of Indochina Paul Doumer (1897-1902) who wanted to build Long Bien Bridge to promote transportation capacity and erect a symbol of industrial capability of French people in the East. 2290 meters in length, this was the longest bridge in the world at the time of its construction.

In 2018, the Hanoi government hesitated whether to preserve or remove the Long Bien bridge. The ‘keep’ was for its symbolic and historic value, while the ‘remove’ was against its nuisance and outdatedness, which even caused lethal accidents. Long Bien is the only bridge that has its lanes on the left, while Vietnamese people drive on the right. The reason was that in the early years, over-limit transportation caused the bridge to tilt to the right. Thus, the flow of transportation was redirected to the left to counterweight.

Phi Long thought of the act of "hooking anchor" from this lane-change story. With "Hic Domus Est Dei" No.2, the "anchors" are made of pine wood and yellow fabric. The anchors cling to many positions on the left side of the Long Bien bridge and are connected on the ground of the Red River’s Bai Giua. These anchors provoke ideas of clinging, questioning, and demanding responses from the bridge's "golden" past, leading to discussions about the present-day "dilemma" in preserving the bridge. 

The work was exhibited at Heritage space, Hanoi, Vietnam 2018.