In early 2025, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work on a special project at the Biennale, namely the Lebanese National Pavilion.

As an architect, I have always wanted to explore and learn from everything around me, and even now that I am focusing on filmmaking and photography, I still want to stay close to architecture. And the opportunity to work for the Lebanon Pavilion was a wonderful opportunity for both my career and my passion. It also gave me a chance to practice and prepare for a future where Vietnam might have its own national pavilion in Venice.

The Lebanon Pavilion is named “The Land Remembers,” which tells the tragic story of southern Lebanon, where the ecosystem is being destroyed by war crimes. When I first learned about the project, I thought it was similar to what happened in Vietnam, where our land was also devastated by chemical toxins such as White Phosphorus and Agent Orange, which still leave lasting scars to this day.

The land remembers, the land carries memories, the land is strong and resilient. Studies have shown that even when damaged by war, the land still remembers and is always ready for seeds to grow again… At the Pavilion, the idea is of dry earth bricks, mixed with straw and seeds, and after the exhibition ends, these bricks will be taken to Lebanon and buried so that the seeds inside can help restore the land there.

My birthday is also approaching, and I am still in the middle of my career. If I could compare it to soil, I would say that I have tried to plant the best seeds possible. Now I can only patiently continue to persevere, nurture, and wait for the day these seeds sprout. And I hope that the idea of the Lebanon Pavilion will be successful, the land will be healed, and the trees will blossom.