Ghislaine Leung's exhibition at Neuer Berliner Kunstverein presents a stark, unmaintained space to illustrate the hidden labor of art institutions. Titled 'Maintenance,' the exhibition prohibits any repairs from the start to finish. Drywalls were removed to reveal covered windows, letting light in and exposing previous installations. This artistic choice highlights both the absence of routine maintenance and the overlooked work of the institution's staff, illustrating how much goes unnoticed until deterioration occurs. The goal of these choices is to bring focus to the care and labor that are integral to maintaining art spaces.
The exhibition includes two scores, both of which strip back and lay bare the backbone of the institution. Leung only delivers the score; the realization is interpreted and carried out by n.b.k. staff.
From the first day of installation to the end of the show, no repairs or maintenance are allowed... the work isn't so much about what we see, as what has been removed: the routine and preparatory labor normally carried out by the staff.
Like cleaning, it all goes unnoticed, until the dust settles and trash starts piling up. The trash on the floor isn't there by accident or neglect, but is a direct result of the work stoppage prompted by Leung's instruction.
Residues of past exhibitions and installation work are exposed. The white cube unsealed, light floods the space.
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