I recently visited the installation art piece “Sài Gòn Phẳng” (Saigon, Flat View) hosted by Monosketch Art Space, The exhibition presented a simulation map of Saigon showcasing its rivers, canals, and districts. I really liked the concept. It offered a fresh way of seeing the city by focusing on its complex river system, with 110 rivers and canals stretching nearly 975 kilometers in total.
However, I was not fully convinced by the way the artwork was displayed. The idea was strong, but the installation did not feel wow yet. The use of stone and sand to represent land and water worked well. But materials like wood, paper, and cotton felt somewhat random. They did not fully express the depth of the “intertwined river system” concept. I wished the artwork had highlighted the unique connections between the rivers more clearly. It would have been even more powerful if the invisible river map of Saigon had been made more visible to the audience.