"Golden History Pages" - a work of historical light and national soul

The sacred and emotional atmosphere of history has opened up opportunities for every Vietnamese citizen to contemplate more deeply the eternal values ​​of independence, freedom and the aspiration to rise up. The artwork "Golden History Page" by light sculptor Bui Van Tu was launched in May 2025 as a profound gratitude to the nation's roots, the emotion before the great merit of President Ho Chi Minh - the beloved leader who devoted his whole life to the ideal of national independence and the happiness of the people.

The idea for the work was nurtured by artist Bui Van Tu more than two years ago, when he created the collection "Lighting up the chronicles" which combines passion and creativity in depicting the portraits of 14 outstanding heroes of the nation, honoring the sacred value of the country's history. The work "Golden History Pages" aims at the country's important celebrations with the aspiration to continue writing the light of history through contemporary art.

"Golden History Pages" is a very elaborate light sculpture.

"Golden History Page" is a light sculpture with very special dimensions: 1945mm in width; 2025mm in height; 79 book pages. The width of 1945mm recalls the sacred mark in the history of the nation. That was the year President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence at Ba Dinh Square, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The number 1945, in the shape of the width of the work, is like a large arm embracing the sacred soul of the mountains and rivers, protecting and cherishing the heroic history of the nation.

"Golden History Page" is a light sculpture with very special dimensions: 1945mm wide; 2025mm high; 79 book pages. The width of 1945mm recalls the sacred mark in the history of the nation.

The height of 2025mm symbolizes the current milestone - 2025 - the whole country is looking towards the 50th anniversary of national reunification and the 135th anniversary of his birth. That is the point of rising from the historical roots to a new height of the era. And right between those two dimensions are 79 pages of the book symbolizing the 79 springs that Uncle Ho lived for the country and the people. Each page of the book is a milestone, a journey: the lullaby next to the cradle of childhood; his footsteps wandering to find a way to save the country; the long night of resistance burning with faith; the sacred Testament he wrote... with each sentence, each word full of pain for the people and the country.

In "Golden History Pages", the 79 pages of the book also carry the beauty of Uncle Ho's soul spanning history, his footprints across every part of the country, imprinted in every breath of the land and the people. Those are 79 springs blooming in the heart of the country, even though he has gone far away, his light is still there, warm and immortal.

Nghe An province conducted a survey and enthusiastically encouraged the birth of the work.

Standing out on the background of the book is the image of a flock of Lac birds flying in the clouds. The 18 Lac birds symbolize the 18 Hung Kings, a reminder of our deep roots, of "compatriots" - two sacred words that Uncle Ho once emphasized. Below is a wave of water like a watercolor painting, symbolizing the beautiful country, blending with his immortal saying: "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom".

A particularly metaphorical detail is that when the light shines through the motifs, a portrait of President Ho Chi Minh appears - the light of truth guiding the nation. According to the original idea, the author wished that the base of the book would later gather water brought from the three regions and from the two archipelagos of Truong Sa and Hoang Sa, encapsulating the entire shape of the country in a work of art.

This light sculpture combines many metal elements: gold, silver, iron, copper... each material has its own symbol of strength and beauty. Through talented hands and modern lighting technology, artisan Bui Van Tu has created a symphony of metal light, where art blends with historical messages* and national will to bring out great meanings.

"Golden History Pages" is a work that I cherish not only with my skills but also with all my heart. Every detail, every material is carefully selected to create a book with light - a light that illuminates the past and awakens the emotions of the present.

Artist Bui Van Tu

The manufacturing process is a series of months of hard work, from months of meticulous color matching experiments to controlling metal deformation and meticulous welding. Every detail is carefully calculated by the artisan and his colleagues. The miraculous coincidence is that according to the Lo Ban ruler, all parameters are perfect, representing a noble and humane meaning.

Not stopping at telling stories, "Golden History Pages" carries the ideal of a new era - the era of integration and strong growth. Artist Bui Van Tu compares art to an ancient tree, if it wants to grow tall, its roots must be deeply rooted in the ground, that is the source of the nation, a heroic history nurtured by passion and perseverance.

Bui Van Tu is a young artist but is passionate and devoted to the history of the nation.

The work is the result of an arduous yet inspiring journey. From wooden and metal prototypes to the finished product, the artist has constantly experimented to integrate the language of contemporary art, while still maintaining core values ​​and national identity.

According to the plan of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the work "Golden History Pages" will be exhibited at the Kim Lien National Special Relic Site (Nam Dan District, Nghe An Province) from May 16-20. The work is designed to be suitable for both outdoor and indoor spaces. For indoor spaces, the work is expected to be placed in the Communal House of the Relic Site to ensure its sacred spirit, while being flexible enough for domestic and international visitors to enjoy.

As for the outdoor space, where natural light blends with creativity, the time chosen to hold the exhibition is around 11am every day - when sunlight passes through the work, creating the most magical effect, depicting the harmony between humans and nature, between art and the sacred value of history.

The work is being completed in the final important stages to be transferred to Nghe An.

The work is a work of art, and at the same time opens up a journey of experience for the viewer, from the lullaby in the hammock of childhood, to Uncle Ho's journey to find a way to save the country, the resistance base... Each ray of light, each shape in "Golden History Page" brings a story, a message from the past to today's generation.

Sharing about his passionate work, artist Bui Van Tu expressed: "I was not born during the war, but I grew up amidst stories about the nation's history. It was those silent sources that inspired me to find a way to retell history in the language of today. "Golden History Page" is a work that I cherished not only with my skills but with all my heart. Every detail, every material was carefully selected to create a book of light - a light that illuminates the past and awakens the emotions of the present."

The workers work hard day and night in the workshop to complete their work.

"There have been times when many challenges have arisen, but I always have the thought that as long as I am determined, all difficulties will become motivation. What I hope most is that when standing in front of this work, everyone can see themselves in it. See the soul of the homeland, childhood memories, dreams of freedom or the tearful eyes of the person, reflecting on the present to remind us not to forget where we come from. History is to remember and more importantly, for us to move forward. If the work can arouse pride, inspiration or simply a moment of silence before the beauty of light and the soul of the country, that is the most meaningful reward for me," said artist Bui Van Tu.

The model of the work was tested many times.

Artisan Bui Van Tu was born in 1992 in Ninh Binh. With the eyes of an artist and the heart of a storyteller, he has created works of unique beauty, telling historical stories in every magical light and shadow. The seemingly lifeless driftwood blocks, under the light, suddenly appear as the figures of famous people and national heroes. The historical and cultural spaces are vividly recreated by him, stirring emotions, especially touching the hearts of the young generation. From the portrait of Uncle Ho appearing on the cliff of his hometown to the image of Dien Bien soldiers lit up from a camouflage sack, each work carries the breath of the past and the look of the future. As a pioneer of light sculpture art in Vietnam, Bui Van Tu is known as the keeper of national memories with light, with passion, and with a belief in the value of history and people.

Artist Bui Van Tu was born in 1992 in Ninh Binh. With the eyes of an artist and the heart of a storyteller, he has created works of unique beauty, telling historical stories in every magical light and dark space.

With the support of the creative team, the support from Nghe An province, Nam Dan district, the Management Board of Kim Lien National Special Relic Site and many dedicated partners, "Golden History Page" is the crystallization of artistic labor and marks the connection between history, art and tourism in the new era. There, visitors can both admire and "touch" history in a unique and individual way. With the light sculpture technique, each line in "Golden History Page" is shimmering and magical in light and time, just like the endless flow of national history.

Try out the model of the work.

There are moments when the sunlight shines through the metal layers, Uncle Ho's portrait suddenly appears from the shadow, magically and silently. The combination of natural light and sacred space creates a personal and sacred experience that makes each visitor feel like they are part of the story being told. It is no longer "static" art, but truly becomes the art of listening, telling stories with the talent of the artist and the emotions of the viewer. And in each of those moments, history has become a living stream, touching the depths of each soul.

Survey the space at the relic site to choose a suitable location for the work.

The light from the work does not stop at visual beauty but evokes thoughts, arouses pride and responsibility in every Vietnamese person. That is why the space of the Kim Lien National Special Monument needs the long-term presence of the work, like a contemporary breath blending with the sacred soul of the mountains and rivers. For that to become a reality, we need more cooperation and companionship from partners, organizations, and sympathetic hearts because the journey to preserve and spread profound spiritual values ​​has never been a lonely path.

Each contribution today by artist Bui Van Tu, 8th Wonder Art Investment Joint Stock Company is the first brick laying the foundation for a meaningful work of art. "Golden History" is like a beat of the Vietnamese heart with the belief that the work will continue to shine in the most sacred spaces, so that every Vietnamese person when admiring it will be silent and feel in their heart, a fire has just been lit.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/trang-su-vang-tac-pham-cua-anh-sang-lich-su-va-tam-hon-dan-toc-post877867.html