Le Quy Tong
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Long Bien bridge
Le Quy Tong’s early series of paintings that looks at landmarks of colonial legacy and war machinery has received great accolades from the art community and the public in and outside of Vietnam. While Steamer investigates the mechanical anatomy of the earliest train model brought into Vietnam by the French colonists and poses questions toward the long-lasting legacy of foreign influences, B29 Plane depicts the heavy bomber that dropped the atomic bombs on Japan during World War II, which was later developed into the infamous B52. Meanwhile, Long Bien bridge is inspired by the bridge of the same name, which is not only a part of Hanoi’s physical landscape but also a potent symbol of its spirit. Spanning the river through times of war and peace, the bridge, although old and worn now, still carries the legends and stories of the ancient city it serves.