According to Nguyen The Son, curator of Indochina Senses, the grand exhibition features 22 artworks and interactive installations, evoking nostalgia for Indochinese architecture and fine arts.

“The exhibition offers viewers a deeper understanding of cultural values through the enduring essence of Indochinese architecture. It’s a rare opportunity to access this historical relic, allowing Hanoians to relive the city’s history, layer by layer,” he said.

As the first public university in Indochina with a Western educational model, its mission was to “disseminate European sciences and methods throughout Indochina, using the French language as a medium.”

Through many historical changes, the ancient school has stood the test of time and continues to train many generations of young intellectuals in Hanoi.

Many prominent revolutionaries studied at Indochina University, including Truong Chinh, General Secretary of the Vietnam Workers’ Party (Faculty of Commerce), and General Vo Nguyen Giap, Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnam People's Army (Faculty of Law).

Curator Nguyen The Son explained that the artists were able to create stunning artworks at the “Indochina Sense” exhibition in a short period, thanks to the rich inspiration drawn from the university’s heritage.

Most of the works and installations at the exhibition were created in just one month. The artists worked in groups, developing ideas based on the principle of “interaction with the terrain.”

Tran Hau Yen The’s light installation made a striking impression as visitors entered the building’s main hall. The arched entrance, adorned with colorful cut-and-pasted cellophane on glass panels, reflected the building’s ancient space and evoked the nostalgic hues of old Hanoi.

As the light shifts, characters representing the social classes of the Indochina period gradually emerge, offering a fascinating glimpse into history.

In keeping with the the exhibition’s nostalgic theme, the “Flow of Origins” installation seamlessly blends with both the architecture and the artwork.

Inspired by the soft hues of Indochinese silk paintings, artist Le Phuoc Anh created layered silk panels that resemble flower petals when viewed from below. The light filtering through the silk layers from the chandelier creates a serene, harmonious atmosphere, offering a delicate contrast to the grand hall’s historic setting.

The acrylic stone tablet features an embossed phoenix, inspired by East Asian motifs and the decorative designs of architect Ernest Hébrard, who designed the Indochina University building. Hébrard drew from the Temple of Literature to incorporate the phoenix into the building’s design, especially its dome. Through this work, the artist celebrates the fusion of European architecture with Vietnamese traditions, emphasizing the enduring connection between past cultural legacies.

On the fourth-floor balcony, Le Dang Ninh’s installation Specimen features acrylic paintings inspired by the glass bottle designs in the Biological Museum on the second floor. These artworks interact beautifully with the wrought iron floral patterns on the attic railings, creating a seamless dialogue between past and present.

The Biological Museum, the first natural history museum in Indochina, founded in 1926, serves as a key inspiration for this installation. The harmonious integration of these display elements with the building’s historical design makes the “Flow of Origins” collection an integral part of the architecture and landscape, evoking the core fields of study of the former Indochina University: Letters, Science, and the Arts.