Amidst the vibrant skyline of Manhattan, a striking sandstone Buddha sculpture has been installed on the High Line, inviting residents and visitors alike to pause and reflect. Tuan Andrew Nguyen's artwork, titled "The Light That Shines Through the Universe," is the park's fifth site-specific commission and was chosen from a pool of nearly 60 proposals. This impressive 27-foot-tall piece, located at West 30th Street and 10th Avenue, will be on display until Spring 2027.
What sets this sculpture apart is not only its warm, timeworn aesthetic but also its profound connection to cultural heritage--specifically, the lost Bamiyan Buddhas of Afghanistan. These monumental statues, carved into a sandstone cliff in the 6th century, were tragically destroyed in 2001. Nguyen's creation serves as a poignant reminder of this history and the resilience of cultural expression.
Cecilia Alemani, the High Line's art director, articulated the unique presence of Nguyen's work, stating, "This sculpture creates a friction with the surroundings here in New York. It's not sleek like everything else you can see here. It offers a hint to the public that temporality is not necessarily a straight line, that things can come back almost like in a wheel."
Nguyen's artistic process involved sourcing artillery brass from the Bamiyan region, which he then melted down and recast into symbolic hand gestures known as mudras. The right hand represents the Abhaya mudra, symbolizing fearlessness, while the left signifies compassion through the Varada mudra. This approach underscores Nguyen's intention to create an "echo" of the original Buddhas rather than a mere replica.
As Nguyen explains, "You keep a story, idea, or memory alive by retelling. When I engage in this process of remaking, it's like retelling the story. It gets translated through my hands and eyes." His work resonates particularly in today's context, highlighting the importance of compassion and resilience amid global challenges.
Nguyen's Buddha stands as a beacon of hope and reflection in the bustling city, encouraging a dialogue about cultural heritage, resilience, and the power of art to transcend time and space.
