Hanoi-Chicago Art Project

Chicago’s Surabhi Ensemble recently completed a successful tour of five states in India (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Tamil Nada, and Karnataka). Some of the members continued on to collaborate with musicians and artists in Hanoi, Vietnam. The artists began to create a new work featuring elements of Mexican music and dance and Spanish flamenco with Indian dance and percussion. The new piece was debuted on Saturday, January 18th, 2025 at the 1976 Space in Hanoi.

Vietnamese visual artist Thu Kim Vu states: “My role is to create light sculptures in the form of vessels. These vessels of light will be passed hand to hand from one dancer to another, resembling the light of peace , hope and creativity.”

Members of the Surabhi Ensemble, Carlo Basile (Spanish guitar), Juan Dies (Mexican guitar/vocals), Lorena Iniguez (Mexican dance/vihuela), Kinnari Vora (Indian dance forms) and Bob Garrett (percussion) will join Vietnamese artist Thu Kim Vu to present the “Hanoi-Chicago Art Project” as a work in progress at the Eckhart Park Field House.