Bàn chân Giao Chỉ

In "The Foot of Giao Chi," Le Ba Dang transforms a body part into a condensed symbol of origin and identity. The foot is elongated, hollowed out, and organized into interwoven solid and void spaces; its dark green surface, stained with black and red, evokes the image of an ancient artifact, a piece of land, or a cultural layer that has endured through time.

The voids and carving marks make the form both heavy like matter and fragile, unstable. Viewers may recognize the foot, but are simultaneously led to many other associations: footsteps, traces, territory, and the journey of a community. With the name Giao Chi – an ancient name associated with the Vietnamese people – the work does not simply illustrate a physical characteristic, but opens up contemplation about the origins, historical memory, and the presence of the Vietnamese people in the long-term movement of culture.