The Hayward Gallery in London, in partnership with the RC Foundation, Taiwan, has opened Val Lee: The Presence of Solitude, the first solo exhibition in the UK by Taiwanese artist Val Lee. Held in the HENI Project Space at the Southbank Centre, the show runs from 7 October 2025 to 11 January 2026 and features film, photography, and costume works including Valley in the Minibus (2024) and The Sorrowful Football Team (2025). The exhibition explores themes of isolation, solitude, and political repression, using disjointed narratives and unidentifiable figures to examine how personal and collective memories are shaped by state systems.
This exhibition matters because it marks the fourth installment of the RC Foundation Project Space Exhibition Series, which spotlights emerging international artists and offers free access to audiences. By presenting Val Lee's work in a prominent London venue, the show amplifies Taiwanese contemporary art on a global stage and addresses significant historical trauma—such as Taiwan's White Terror period—through a nuanced, poetic lens. It also underscores the Hayward Gallery's commitment to supporting new voices and making cutting-edge art accessible to the public.