Lee Mingwei: The Moving Garden

Overview

If you go down to the NGV this October, you'll get to take a flower home with you. But on two conditions, says Taiwanese-American artist Lee Mingwei: "First, to make a detour from their intended route when leaving the museum for their next destination; second, along this detour, to give the flower to a stranger who they feel would benefit from this unexpected act of generosity."

It's part of the artist's new work, The Moving Garden, opening at the National Gallery of Victoria on October 15. Mingwei and NGV have teamed up with Melbourne florist Flowers Vasette, who'll provide 1000 fresh flowers for each day of the exhibition — that's 106 days, totalling 106,000 flowers.

One of the world's leading artists in audience participation, Mingwei made headlines this year at the Biennale of Sydney by recreating Picasso's masterpiece Guernica in sand before letting audiences walk all over it. "Lee's artwork inspires contemplation of social themes like trust and self-awareness, by encouraging one-on-one interactions between strangers," says NGV director Tony Ellwood. "The Moving Garden will also challenge the traditional relationship between art and audience, with each flower picked adding the story of the participant to that of the artwork."

The Moving Garden is part of Melbourne's major new Asian arts festival, Asia TOPA: Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts, announced just this week. Mingwei will be conducting a free artist talk on Saturday, October 15, with bookings not required.