Exhibition “The Story of Kim Ngan Communal House”
- Date & time00:00 – 23:59 • 14/11/2026
- VenueKim Ngan Communal House, Hang Bac Street, Hanoi Old Quarter
Đang tải…
The exhibition “The Story of Kim Ngan Communal House” is part of the series of activities of the project “Stories of Communal Houses in the Street,” developed and curated by artist Nguyen The Son from 2024 to the present. The exhibition presents photography, graphics, and installation at the communal house associated with the history of the goldsmithing trade and the community of craftspeople on Hang Bac Street. The exhibition belongs to the cluster “Craft Stories through the Streets” of the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2026, introducing the history of the craft’s development from Village to Street in ancient Thang Long Ke Cho. The exhibition is open free to the public.
Kim Ngan Communal House worships Hien Vien, the patron ancestor of all crafts – the greatest craft ancestor in East Asia – expressing the reverence and gratitude of the residents of craft streets.
For the silver trade, the story of Kim Ngan Communal House is closely linked to the merits of Luu Xuan Tin, Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, from Chau Khe village (Hai Duong). He brought half of the population of Chau Khe village to the imperial capital Thang Long to specialize in silver casting for the royal court, creating the famous goldsmithing “privilege” for today’s Hang Bac Street.
In the exhibition “The Story of Kim Ngan Communal House,” photographic works telling diverse stories form a prominent display thread, with a cluster of ten photographs and one relief by Nguyen The Son, six UV-printed photographic works by Le Bich, and ten UV-printed photographic works by William Crawford. Two graphic works by Pham Hung Anh add another visual medium to the exhibition. Vu Xuan Dong and Nguyen Tuan Dung enrich the exhibition through installations using LED lights and composite. Tran Yen The approaches the form of the Eight Treasures through CNC-cut iron.
From photography and graphics to light and metal, the works suggest perspectives on materials, techniques, and the artists’ approach to form. Viewing the works right inside the communal house of the craft community also adds a layer of association regarding craft knowledge and values preserved across generations.
Ticket Free
Hoàn Kiếm Lake pedestrian street area (Đông Kinh Nghĩa Thục Square, Bà Kiệu Temple Flower Garden), Thăng Long Imperial Citadel, Hanoi Museum, Temple of Literature - Quốc Tử Giám, Bát Tràng Ancient Village
Held annually
