Millennial Sacred Sand: Performance by Tuong Danh
Forthcoming event
Overview
Lân Sư Hồ surfaces from a bed of sand as if returning from somewhere it has always been. Assembled from seashells and dead coral washed ashore from Quy Nhơn, Bình Định, and Phú Quý island, the sculpture carries the head of the Lân, the body of the Sư, and the tail of the Hồ: wisdom, courage, and holy power. Colossal yet innocent, ancient yet present. Like everything Tường Danh makes, it looks retrieved rather than invented, as if it had always existed somewhere, waiting.
Millennial Sacred Sand is a contemporary performance in this same spirit. Cải means to reform, to improve, to make anew. Lương means what is good, what is worth preserving. Together they name cải lương: a Southern Vietnamese tradition of musical theater built on the belief that what is inherited must be continually renewed to survive. Here, Danh carries that philosophy into new form: performing alongside Lân Sư Hồ with a cải lương orchestra of six, in an arrangement that feels ancient but is entirely her own.
During the performance, Danh's body moves into direct contact with the sculpture, rereading the history of earth and water through gesture, weight, and presence. Incense smoke opens a spiritual dimension. The flute and đàn tranh act as a guide, drawing the audience into a current of feeling.
Sand acts as a sacred witness. Shaped by millennia, it holds what endures: myth, memory, the will to protect what is loved. Life neither begins nor ends. It transforms, through sand, through sea, through the body, through the art of return.
Millennial Sacred Sand is part of Thắm Lại, and will be followed by an exhibition walkthrough by curator Anh Dao Ha.
PERFORMANCE DETAILS
► Date: Saturday, 16 May, 2026
► Time: 6:00 PM
► Location: Galerie Quynh – 118 Nguyễn Văn Thủ, Tân Định Ward, Hồ Chí Minh City
► Format: Standing audience, limited to 30 guests only
► Program Flow: The evening will begin with the performance Millennial Sacred Sand by Tường Danh, accompanied by live musicians. This will be followed by a walkthrough of the exhibition Thắm Lại, led by curator Anh Dao Ha (in English only).
🎟 Ticketed event — 350,000 VND per person.
Please complete your payment via bank transfer using the QR code provided at the end of the registration form. This program can accommodate a maximum of 30 guests due to space limitations.
⚠️ Performance includes live music, incense smoke, and sand particles.
PERFORMERS
Cải lương vocalist: Hạ Nắng
Flute: Thảo Đông Cô
Bell: Cô Chuông
Đàn Tranh: Cát Nguyên
Đàn Nhị: Liêm Hiếu
Drums: Long Đinh
Photo by Trịnh Tú Bình
Courtesy AirHue
Works
