The art space of Thai Binh Lau

Exquisite arrangement

The Taiping Pavilion and Shaofang Garden – structures within the Forbidden City – are excellent venues for the 2024 Light Festival. With 12 installations in a fantastical and interactive space, everyday artifacts from the heritage site become captivating through their sophisticated arrangement.

Many first-time visitors to the Light Festival were delighted and amazed by the magical atmosphere of Thai Binh Lau and Thieu Phuong Garden, thanks to the harmonious blend of the ancient charm of the heritage and the application of technology, especially the combination of sound and light.

Do Ngoc An Ha, a tourist from Tuyen Quang, excitedly said: “This is my first time attending the Hue Festival, and I'm quite impressed with the event. The glass lanterns and lotus flowers shining brightly, along with the many LED lights on Thai Dich Lake, are very beautiful, creating a unique and refreshing feeling when visiting the Imperial Citadel at night.”

If the light show at "Hue by Light" in 2023 was a magnificent performance set to music , then this light festival is a skillful arrangement based on heritage materials. It allows the public to approach and interact directly with heritage in a more friendly, slow, and gentle way. "I was eagerly waiting to experience it. And I'm truly satisfied, it's exactly what I expected," said Phan Bao Phu, a visitor, after watching the festival.

“The Hue Imperial Citadel exudes such wonder that we, along with the French Institute team, immediately envisioned the overall project: A dreamy, fantastical journey would be the perfect solution without altering the ultimate goal of honoring historical heritage. I hope the public will flock to enjoy this unique experience,” expressed Felix Arguillère, Director of Technology at AC3 Studio.

The construction of this year's Light Festival took over a year of preparation by AC3 – the French company that previously illuminated the Ngo Mon Gate with a spectacular video -mapping and music performance (December 2023). From technical design, electrical and electronic engineering, visual and musical creativity, to organizational coordination, the technologies used varied depending on the specific installation: smart grid systems using photovoltaic panels, traditional stage lighting and video-mapping projection systems, controllable LED lights (Artnet), etc.

Technology transfer to Hue

Taking place within the framework of the Hue Festival 2024, the Light Festival is the result of a collaboration between French and Vietnamese teams. The French partner was responsible for artistic direction, while the content and technical solutions for the event were developed in collaboration with the Vietnamese partner, based on the spirit of participation and sharing of expertise.

“Hue’s heritage has always been a wonderful source of inspiration for our creativity, allowing us to honor this heritage through traditional collaborations with our Hue partners. We believe that our friends from the ancient capital can soon independently create poetic yet inclusive light festivals in the not-too-distant future,” expressed Sophie Maysonnave, Counselor for Cultural Cooperation and Activities and Director of the French Institute in Hue.

According to Hoang Viet Trung, Director of the Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center, the French Embassy in Vietnam has always been a key partner and a reliable companion not only in diplomatic activities but also in promoting cultural exchange and artistic cooperation through the Hue Festivals. At the Light Festival, audiences can enjoy a light show combined with art installations meticulously created by a team from France. “It’s a journey that is both academic and interactive, but always emphasizes aesthetics. The festival will run until June 20th, and this is definitely an exciting place to explore the Hue Imperial Palace at night that audiences shouldn’t miss when attending the Hue Festival 2024,” Mr. Trung said.

With the Light Festival, we once again demonstrate our efforts to revitalize and create new perspectives and experiences regarding our heritage. This is also the spirit of the Hue Festival: always new, a fusion of traditional and modern values.

Text and photos: LIEN MINH

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/festival/huyen-ao-le-hoi-anh-sang-142107.html