SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Continuing to build upon its vision of a spiritually alive world, Grace Cathedral today announced that famed Taiwanese-American contemporary artist, Lee Mingwei, is its 2022 Artist in Residence. Known for creating extraordinary participatory installations, Mingwei’s work infuses ritual and beauty, where strangers can explore issues of trust, intimacy, and self-awareness.
“Art is an integral part of the vision and mission of the cathedral. It represents the best of what makes us human and connects us to others and to ourselves,” said the Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral. "Lee Mingwei’s amazing work will ignite your senses and emotions and fill you with profound feelings of peace, harmony and connection. We are honored to host his work in our sacred space for all people to experience. ”
As Grace Cathedral’s 2022 Artist in Residence, Mingwei will contemplate the Year of Connection and share his story and inspiration at cornerstone events such as Yoga on the Labyrinth, The Forum, the Choral Eucharist service, and Our Labyrinth For Grace, the culminating event of his residency. Grace Cathedral’s cultural membership holders will have exclusive access to the rehearsal for Our Labyrinth. Cultural Members have special access to a robust schedule of arts and music events, exhibitions, cultural offerings and the cathedral’s brand-new curated visitor experience. Learn more here.
The Forum at Grace Cathedral: Lee Mingwei
Sunday, October 2 and 9, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.; Free
The Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young will conduct an in-person interview with Mingwei solo on October 2 about how his life influences his work, and on October 9 with the dancers who performed Our Labyrinth For Grace about the creation of the work, what it feels like to perform it, and how the work has evolved over time and space.
Yoga on the Labyrinth
Tuesday, October 4, 2022, 6:15 – 7:30 p.m.; $15
Surrounded by the awe-inspiring architecture of Grace Cathedral and set to live music from world-renowned musicians, this weekly practice of yoga and meditation looks and feels like the amazing diversity of San Francisco itself. Mingwei will give the intention at the start of practice, speaking on the evening’s theme of Atonement and Renewal.
Artist in Residence Talk with de Young Curator-in-Charge Claudia Schmuckli
Thursday, October 6, 2022, 6:30 p.m.; Free
The de Young Museum will present the first retrospective of Mingwei’s career in 2024. Claudia Schmuckli, Curator-in-Charge of Contemporary Art and Programming for the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, will explore in conversation with Mingwei, his Bay Area roots and the evolution of his work.
Our Labyrinth For Grace
Saturday, October 8, 2022, 12 p.m. – 12 a.m.; $20
The culmination of his residency will be Our Labyrinth For Grace, an epic twelve-hour performance by three dancers, with introductory music by the Men of the Cathedral’s Choir of Men and Boys, and a finale by organist Susan Jane Matthews. The work has previously been performed at Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and Tate Modern in London.
Our Labyrinth For Grace was inspired by Mingwei’s visit to a Buddhist temple in Myanmar, where he saw volunteers sweeping the pathways quietly and slowly. It was a gift they were giving to the community, but also to themselves -- to be able to perform a ritual of cleansing but also to make a clear path for visitors to walk on.
Choral Eucharist
Sunday, October 9, 11 a.m.; Free
The cathedral’s principal Eucharist, with anthems and service music sung by the Cathedral Choir. (60–75 minutes). This will mark the end of Mingwei’s residency as Grace Cathedral’s 2022 Artist in Residence. Following the service, a celebratory farewell coffee hour will occur on the plaza.
About Grace Cathedral
Grace Cathedral is an Episcopal church in the heart of San Francisco and the 3rd largest Episcopal cathedral in the United States. Grace Cathedral is a working cathedral and a house of prayer for all people, serving the community and its congregation with courage, joy and wonder through prayer, the arts, and connection, with a deep commitment to social justice. The cathedral is famed as a destination for visitors from all over the world who come to see its striking architecture, stunning stained glass, two labyrinths, Interfaith AIDS Chapel; listen to the Aeolian-Skinner organ and the different choirs of the cathedral; and to participate in its beautiful traditional and contemporary expressions of spirituality and prayer. Everyone is welcome. For more information visit www.gracecathedral.org.
