New York City’s High Line has announced its next Plinth commission: The Light That Shines Through the Universe, a monumental new sculpture by CalArts alum Tuan Andrew Nguyen (Art MFA 04). The work will be installed in spring 2026 at the public park, which has become one of New York City’s most visited cultural landmarks since opening in 2009.
Rising 27 feet tall, the sculpture pays homage to the sixth century Bamiyan Buddhas of central Afghanistan, which were destroyed in 2001 in an act of iconoclasm by the Taliban. Carved into the sandstone cliffs of the Bamiyan Valley, the original Buddhas once stood as welcoming markers along the Silk Road and were among the largest sculptures of their kind in the world. Revered examples of Gandharan art, they blended Greco-Roman aesthetics with Buddhist iconography. The site is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, defined by the empty niches where the statues once stood.
In The Light That Shines Through the Universe, Nguyen reimagines one of the Bamiyan Buddhas as a monument to cultural loss, resilience, and spiritual endurance. The work’s title references “Salsal,” the affectionate local name for the larger of the two Buddhas, meaning “the light shines through the universe.” The sculpture’s hands are cast from melted brass artillery shells sourced from Afghanistan and positioned in two ritual mudras: the Abhaya mudra, symbolizing fearlessness, and the Varada mudra, symbolizing compassion.
The statue is a reminder “that even in the midst of chaos and violence, we can remain compassionate and fearless. I imagine against the skyline these super polished brass hands, as they sparkle in the sun, will be something very spectacular,” Nguyen told The New York Times in an article announcing the sculpture’s selection as the fifth Plinth commission.
Living and working in Hồ Chí Minh City, Việt Nam, Nguyen’s interdisciplinary practice spans moving image, sculpture, and collaborative projects that explore collective memory, intergenerational trauma, and resistance to erasure. A recurring focus in his practice is the long-term impact of colonialism, war, and displacement, particularly the legacy of the Vietnam War. By transforming materials associated with violence into sculptural forms of care and reflection, Nguyen reframes destruction as a site of healing and remembrance.
Earlier this year, Nguyen was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship. His work is currently on view at the 2025 Singapore Biennale and has been featured in major international exhibitions, including the Asia Pacific Triennial (2006), the Whitney Biennial (2017), the Sharjah Biennial (2019), and the Berlin Biennale (2022).
