Taiwanese artist Lee Mingwei's first large survey exhibition, "Lee Mingwei: Rituals of Care," is now showcasing at the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco | de Young. This highly anticipated exhibition, recognized by international media outlets like The Guardian, has been earmarked as a must-see for 2024. Opened on February 17, it will enchant audiences until July 7, 2024.
Supported by the Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts, "Lee Mingwei: Rituals of Care" features his well-known participatory art installations and performance pieces, including "100 Days with Lily," "The Mending Project," The Letter Writing Project," "Our Peaceable Kingdom," "Guernica in Sand," and "Sonic Blossom." he exhibition is further enriched by a newly commissioned piece titled " Chaque souffle une danse " (Each Breath a Dance) adding an innovative touch.
Thomas P. Campbell, Director of the de Young Museum, mentioned that Mingwei's works evoke a sense of tranquility, especially by inviting audiences to participate in shaping the artwork, transforming the museum into not just a space for art but also a platform for interpersonal communication and self-reflection.
Mingwei himself expresses his exhibition as a comprehensive display of his works, presented in the form of a large solo exhibition. His aspiration is to infuse beauty and compassion into the hearts of his audience.
The Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles underscores the collaboration with the de Young Museum in San Francisco as a response to the pandemic-induce societal issues and interpersonal distancing. Lee Mingwei's unique artistic experience can attract audiences back to museums and help restore social relationships. Through the de Young Museum's influential community and educational system, the collaboration aims to deepen the resonance of Taiwanese art and culture within the local milieu.
Born in Taiwan and currently residing in Taipei, New York, and Paris, Lee Mingwei holds a Bachelor's degree from the California Institute of the Arts and a Master's degree in Fine Arts from Yale University. He creates participatory installations that enable strangers to engage with concepts of trust, intimacy, and self-awareness. His projects often create open-ended scenarios for everyday interactions, adapting and transforming with participant involvement throughout an exhibition's duration. His works have been exhibited at major international museums such as the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, The Centre Pompidou in Paris, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Tate Modern in London, Gropius Bau in Berlin, and Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney.