Installation – Garden of Archives at the Biennale Photo Hanoï 25

Statement by the visual artist Quang deLam

At the heart of this installation resides the index cabinet, a comprehensive guide holding every reference from the library, from A to Z. It speaks to a fundamental truth: while fully consuming all knowledge is impossible, the means to access it is paramount. This piece of furniture, in its very essence, constructs the visual metaphor of the Archive.

In the photo series, we see the cabinet embarking on a journey across the city, purposefully inserted into diverse everyday settings. This act highlights a crucial message: knowledge, through this very conduit, becomes universally shareable. On the installation’s ground, books are arranged in a grid formation, reminiscent of a crossword puzzle. This layout encourages visitors to forge their own words and meanings from these disparate archives, creating connections solely by their own will and interpretation.

The inclusion of computer mainboards serves as a stark reminder of the contemporary standards in archive conservation. All elements within the installation are connected by a network of electrical wires, symbolizing not only the intricate routes of information but also appearing as organic weeds. This visual duality underscores the rhizomatic nature of archives, a concept deeply explored by French philosopher G. Deleuze. He posits that knowledge is not the exclusive domain of experts but rather a collaborative, distributed, and dynamic process, constantly evolving through individual contributions and interactions.

Much like the photographic series, we will place dragon fruits throughout the space. This subtle yet powerful addition transforms the installation into a living garden, an organism in perpetual growth, defying the sterile, dusty stereotype so often associated with archives.