While on our daily constitutional to take our minds off the ever-changing nuances of immigration law, we came across the brand-new installation at the High Line Plinth. Towering over the High Line Spur stands Tuan Andrew Nguyen’s “The Light That Shines Through the Universe,” a twenty-seven-foot-tall figure in the image of the Bamiyan Buddhas, two incredible statues in central Afghanistan that were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001 in an attempt to erase the history of religious and cultural congruence in the region. Nguyen’s piece references the iconic sculptures both in form and name, taking the name for his creation from the translation of the nickname for the buddhas coined by local Afghani communities, “Salsal.” Despite these remarkable similarities, Nguyen’s intention is not replication but reincarnation. The sculpture’s radiant gold hands, hovering just beyond the body of the sculpture, symbolize healing and empathy, a way to move forward despite loss.
Although we will miss Iván Argote’s pigeon sculpture “Dinosaur” which guarded the walkway and Tenth Avenue below for the past year and a half, Nguyen’s piece is a poignant reminder of the power of art and memory, and of the importance of nurturing forgotten narratives whenever possible.
Photos by Laura Romig