Sky at nightfall (Màn đêm buông xuống), 2026, stainless steel, 30 × 30 cm

Tia-Thuy Nguyen works with materials that span strikingly different qualities. Alongside delicate materials such as beads, sequins, thread, and quartz - materials that invite careful handling - she also works with stainless steel, a material capable of withstanding time and the elements.

“By hand-weaving stainless steel, I force industrial rigidity into a direct dialogue with femininity. Steel is inherently cold and masculine; taming this abrasive medium through the fluid, delicate act of weaving demands meticulous physical dedication. This meticulous, physical dedication ultimately forces the metal’s rigidity to yield to the sheer endurance of the hands. Through this, I assert the inner resilience of the female artist: the capacity to transform the most unyielding materials into floating, weightless apparitions.” — Tia-Thuy Nguyen shared.

The ancient tree is typically an archetype of “bearing weight” - deeply rooted and bridging earth and sky. Enduring vitality (Sinh lực trường tồn) breaks from this confining mold. Suspended in mid-air, the sculpture evokes a profound sense of wandering and absolute weightlessness. Relocating the tree into a purely aesthetic realm, where it finally lays down its burdens, serves as a poignant metaphor for women: beneath the facade of sacrifice and resilience lies a deep yearning to shed external pressures and embrace a gentle, weightless freedom.