Gropius Bau

Lee Mingwei’s artistic practice is primarily concerned with rituals of giving and receiving. Until 12 July, the Gropius Bau will present a solo exhibition by the artist, showing his installations and performances from the last three decades. Central to the exhibition is an exploration of art’s potential to be a transformative gift.

In Lee Mingwei’s works immaterial gifts such as song, conversation or contemplation are given and received. For many of his projects the starting point are his personal encounters, which are then transformed into installations. Seeing such experiences as moments in which time is gifted, Lee's projects reveal a fascination for the role of the host. Accordingly, in autumn 2019, the artist put out open calls looking for Berlin-based hosts to activate several of his projects. In "The Living Room" hosts are invited to exhibit their unique collections and in "The Mending Project" the menders host conversations with visitors whilst repairing their damaged items of clothing. These processes create a common space where viewers are given the opportunity to enter into exchange, and rituals of care and healing begin to unfold.

Curated by Stephanie Rosenthal with Clare Molloy



Performances in the exhibition
Sonic Blossom, daily from 14:00 to 18:00
Our Labyrinth, daily from 11:00 to 15:00

Explore more
Read an interview with Lee Mingwei and discover two new works as well as digital activations of the exhibition on gropiusbau.de.