The Call to Genesis

The Call to Genesis, a landmark exhibition by artist Thu Tran held at the historic Gia Lam Train Factory in Hanoi. This immersive showcase featured over 2,000 meters of silk and 15 mixed-media works, weaving indigenous materials and Muong cultural narratives into a contemporary exploration of origin and femininity. In collaboration with Art nè!, we provided comprehensive curatorial direction, production management, and strategic media coordination, exemplifying our commitment to delivering impactful, culturally resonant art experiences in Vietnam. 

“The Call to Genesis” is an art exhibition by Thu Tran showcasing expressive-abstract silk and mixed-media paintings, with the aim of retracing our Origin, nurtured by the eternal femininity of Mother Nature.

Inspired by the image of a nursing Mother Earth, this exhibition invites us to a realm of primordial chaos, where the sorrowful cry of Mother Goddesses echoes to eternity. These Goddesses have always come to rescue humans in our darkest hours, giving us the lifeline to sail through calamities since our emergence from her cave. Shrouded in the veil of mystery, Mother Nature is weeping at the realization that her own son – the Earth, plagued with forest fire, war and climate crisis, is struggling with its own weight.

Thu Tran heard this calling, and her responses manifested in this body of artworks. Inspired by the indigenous culture of the Muong, such as the “Giving Birth to the Earth and Water” epic, she utilizes local resources such as banana paper, Giang paper, pineapple fiber, and fermented bamboo to accentuate the cultural flow that defines her narration. The image of Mother Origin is a constant pursuit, which has undoubtedly given Thu Tran guidance in the expedition to trace the root of her ancestry. Considering herself as an offspring of this divine entity, the artist praises eternal femininity with a gesture of gratitude.

The exhibition “The Call to Genesis” will be hosted at Gia Lam Train Factory, a witness of our turbulent history spanning almost 120 years, surviving severe bombardments and wary hardships. The place not only reminds of the Industrial Revolution but also marks the development of the railway system in the early 20th century in Vietnam. The image of the locomotive can be perceived as an offspring emerging from the mother’s womb to venture into the blue horizons. But now, he’s home.

“The Call to Genesis” is an exhibition of artist Thu Tran with more than 2000m of silk painting and 15 mixed-media paintings. This exhibition will be held at Gia Lam Train Factory – Zone 3B1 from 17th November to 3rd December 2023 and may be extended under some circumstances, promising a remarkable experience of visual explosion and profound recollection of humanity.

Curator: Trinh Cao Hoa Thanh

BigThu and ICEP collectively share the honor of sponsorship.
ICEP – Hanoi Classy JSC is a Non-profit Organization under UNESCO Vietnam
BigThu is a fashion brand with a focus on sustainable materials founded by artist Thu Tran since 2012

Thu Tran (Tran Thi Thu) was born in Hanoi in 1970. She graduated with an MFA from the School of Fine Art Vietnam. She is a member of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association and the Hoa Binh Arts and Literature Association.
Over her artistic career, Thu Tran has had numerous remarkable solo exhibitions, such as the geographical installation exhibition “The return” at Chieng Di, Van Do, Son La (09/1/2021) with 5000m of Organza, 300kgs Acrylic colour, 60lt of watercolour and 500kgs iron cubes; installation exhibition “Weave 3” (01/2020) at Cocobay Da Nang utilizing organza fabric, acrylic and iron. She is also an avid contributor to community art events and group exhibitions.Thu Tran has participated in several domestic and international exhibitions since 2008. Her works are acquired by prestigious local and international private collections. Some of her selected awards:
– Award of Vietnam Fine Arts Association – 2014
– Bronze Award of National Applied Arts
– Exhibition and Contest 10/2019
– Consolation Prize of Vietnam Fine Arts Association Award 2018 – 2022 for the Northwest-Northern Region

This event takes place within the Design and Creative Fair of Hanoi 2023, organized by the Hanoi People’s Committee and Vietnam Association of Architects, with the generous support of Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports; Architecture Magazine of Vietnam Association of Architects; the representatives of UNESCO HANOI; UN-Habitat Programme; Vietnam Railways; Long Bien, Ba Dinh and other districts’ People Committee as well as individuals and organizations that contributed to this project.

Opening: 05 pm, Tues 21 Nov 2023
Exhibition: 08:30 am – 05:30 pm, 17, 20 Nov & 22 – 26 Nov 2023
08:30 am – 09:30 pm, 18, 19, 21 Nov 2023
Gia Lam Train Factory
551 Nguyễn Văn Cừ, Gia Thụy, Long Biên, Hà Nội