A new public sculpture by Vietnamese American artist Tuan Andrew Nguyen has been installed on the High Line Plinth at Hudson Yards in Manhattan. Titled "The Light That Shines Through the Universe" (2026), the 27-foot-tall sandstone monument pays homage to the Buddhas of Bamiyan, the 6th-century colossi destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. The work features carved sandstone forms with two monumental steel hands cast from melted-down artillery shells sourced from Afghanistan, making gestures of fearlessness and compassion. It will remain on view through autumn 2027 and is accompanied by monthly lectures and meditation sessions.
The sculpture matters because it connects ancient iconoclasm to contemporary conflicts, resonating with ongoing wars in Afghanistan, Ukraine, and the Middle East. Commissioned in 2023, the work has gained added poignancy amid current geopolitical crises. It also represents a rare use of sandstone in contemporary public art, a material more associated with art history than modern sculpture. The High Line Plinth, a prominent venue for public art, continues its tradition of commissioning works that remain relevant across different contexts and time periods.