Tuan Andrew Nguyen: The Light That Shines Through the Universe

For the fifth High Line Plinth commission, Tuan Andrew Nguyen presents The Light That Shines Through the Universe, a monument to cultural loss and enduring spirit. Carved in Vietnam, the sculpture is installed on the High Line in New York City over the intersection of 10th Avenue and 30th Streets, on view through fall 2027.  

The towering sculpture reinvisages, in 27 feet of sandstone, one of the two Bamiyan Buddhas, the monumental statues hewn more than a millennium ago in a cliff in Afghanistan, and destroyed by the Taliban in an act of iconoclasm 25 years ago. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, all that is left are two empty niches carved out of the mountain where the statues once stood. Prior to their destruction, the Bamiyan Buddhas held deep significance across different cultures and religions, even as Afghanistan shifted to become an entirely Islamic nation. They represented a blending of cultures and the lasting impact of the Silk Road economy, as the valley served as an influential meeting point at the intersection of trade routes from China, India, and Persia.

The work’s title directly references the affectionate nickname local communities used for the larger Buddha: “Salsal,” which translates to “the light shines through the universe.” Nguyen’s Plinth commission is not an exact replica of Salsal, but rather an echo, intended to invoke the memory of these lost cultural treasures. In this new context, the name poetically underscores how the original statues have transcended their physical destruction to become a steadfast symbol of life, healing, and peace. 

For The Light that Shines Through the Universe, the artist reimagines the Buddha’s hands, lost after centuries of attempted iconoclastic attacks, long before the statues were fully destroyed. Cast from melted down brass artillery shells and positioned into mudras, or ritual gestures that signify “fearlessness” and “compassion,” the gleaming hands become symbols of healing and empathy. This prosthetic-like addition also calls to mind limb loss and the continued humanitarian crisis in war-torn regions. By leaving a noticeable gap between the prosthetics and the body, Nguyen poetically suggests that while some damage may be irreparable, there is still hope and potential to heal the land, the spirit, and the people that have experienced tremendous destruction.

The Light that Shines Through the Universe addresses the necessity of memory and art as counterforces to political extremism and nihilism. Nguyen proposes a potent critique of iconoclasm and the erasure of diverse cultural identities as a weapon of war and political control. Today, as we continue to grapple with a push towards polarizing communities and the suppression of dissenting histories, The Light that Shines Through the Universe is particularly poignant.

As part of the public programming for Tuan Andrew Nguyen’s High Line Plinth commission, the High Line presents a monthly lecture and guided meditation series at the Spur. Presented in partnership with the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, the series invites visitors to engage more deeply with themes central to Nguyen’s work. Beginning May 16, each session, hosted by Tashi Chödrön, Himalayan Programs and Communities Ambassador at the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, features a lecture by a scholar, artist, or cultural leader, followed by a guided meditation led by an invited practitioner. Through this combination of intellectual and contemplative practice, the series invites audiences to pause, reflect, and consider the artwork’s historical and philosophical themes through both thought and experience.