Haegue Yang: VIP’s Union

VIP’s Union enters its second phase in February 2018: the furniture which over the last nine months has been available for use throughout the Kunsthaus is now changing its status and will be on show in a spatial setting in Space02 designed by Haegue Yang. In June 2017, the Korean artist had asked ‘very important persons’ from the city of Graz and the province of Styria to submit a table or chair of their own choice. In total 100 from 137 people agreed to the request, with 143 furniture items being handed to the Kunsthaus. The Kunsthaus Graz initiated a radical step with VIP’s Union by having all the furniture in the building replaced by the loaned pieces for the duration of the project. Thus, the decisions made by the loaners and their generosity significantly helped shape the appearance of the institution in recent months. The question as to who is an important person in what context was answered differently in the course of the work, depending on the location and institution. VIP’s Union also produces a portrait of a particular place and reflects the relationship between private loaners as well as those institutions issuing invitations. To mark the presentation of VIP’s Union in Graz, all realizations to date of VIP’s Union will now be gathered together and presented in a publication.

Opening programme
6 pm, Space04: Introduction and conversation with Nav Haq (Curator, MuHKA Antwerpen), Haegue Yang (artist), Barbara Steiner (Head, Kunsthaus Graz) and Katrin Bucher Trantow (Chief curator Kunsthaus Graz)
7 pm, Space04: Official opening of the exhibition
8 pm, Needle: Union meeting for lenders


> More information about the exhibition Haegue Yang.VIP’s Union - Phase I