Taiwanese American artist Lee Mingwei presents his largest non-museum exhibition to date, "Lorsque La Beauté Paraît (When Beauty Appears)," at Perrotin in Paris. The show brings together seven invitational projects, including works like *The Mending Project* (2009–) and *The Moving Garden* (2009–). In an interview with Australian curator Rhana Devenport, Lee discusses the political dimensions of beauty, the restorative power of gift-giving, and the courage required for small acts of kindness among strangers. The exhibition is curated by Thierry Raspail, co-founder of the Lyon Biennale and director of the Lyon Museum of Contemporary Art.
This interview matters because it positions Lee Mingwei's participatory, beauty-focused practice as a radical political stance against contemporary brutality and cynicism. By exploring how simple gestures like giving a flower can foster trust and generosity, Lee challenges conventional definitions of art and politics. The exhibition also marks a significant milestone in Lee's career, being his largest presentation outside a museum, and highlights the ongoing relevance of relational aesthetics and gift economies in today's art world.