Our Labyrinth transforms the simple, act of sweeping into a performance, bringing a sense of ritual into the museum. It was inspired by Lee Mingwei's experience of visiting ancient temples in Myanmar, where paths leading to temples are swept by volunteers.
The performance features two dancers wearing sarongs with bells on their ankles moving slowly as they brush grains of rice into patterns. They sweep to create a winding labyrinth-like path within a precise space similar to an ink pool.
The performance has been staged in Taipei, Shanghai, Paris, Jakarta, Berlin, New York, and Tokyo, and the edition presented at Tate Modern is the first time the work has expanded to include two performers dancing at a time.
Lee creates participatory installations exploring issues such as trust, intimacy, and self-awareness. He often takes everyday interactions as his starting point, from eating and sleeping to walking and conversation.
Our Labyrinth will be performed continuously from morning to evening in the Turbine Hall from 26 May – 15 June. A conversation with the artist will be held on the 27 May as part of Tate Late and the performance will continue until 21.30 for the event.
Performed by Ben Ajose-Cutting, Iris Athanasiadi, Rosalie Bell, Yen-Ching Lin, Liu I-Ling, Jean-Gabriel Manolis, Thomas McKeon, Aya Sone, Olivia Thynne, and Wu Cheng-Lung.
Curated by Tamsin Hong and Devika Singh .
