Gabriel Lester and Haegue Yang's 'Follies, Manifold' Exhibition Explores Theatrical Structures and Audience Roles

Gabriel Lester and Haegue Yang unveiled their exhibition titled 'Follies, Manifold', drawing inspiration from landscape architecture follies. Yang’s work 'Boxing Ballet' (2013) reinterprets Oskar Schlemmer’s 1922 'Triadisches Ballett', featuring five figures influenced by Bauhaus on wheels or in suspended frames for audience participation. 'VIP’s Union' (2014) showcases 72 chairs associated with Bonn's cultural personalities, juxtaposing ordinary office chairs with unique designs. Lester’s dimly lit cinema area presents 'How to Act' (1999–2014), where a blank screen is enlivened by colorful lights and a suspenseful soundtrack reminiscent of Hitchcock. Additionally, 'Living by the Light of Fiction' (2014) includes 17 faux plants representing passive involvement. The exhibition, analyzed in the January & February 2015 issue of ArtReview, critiques the dynamics with institutional frameworks through theatrical elements.