Two Exhibitions

Charles Ray’s works explore art history, the origins of art, and its installation in space. For Ray, if a sculpture is to be embedded in space, it must consist of space—a seemingly contradictory statement, given that his works can weigh anywhere from a few grams to nearly twenty metric tons.

The exhibition “Charles Ray” opens on Friday, August 21, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. Prior to that, young visitors are invited to the children’s opening reception from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Following his participation in documenta 9 in 1992, this is Ray’s first institutional solo exhibition in Germany.

Charles Ray was born in Chicago in 1953 and has lived in Los Angeles since 1981. He is considered one of the most important sculptors of the 20th and 21st centuries. For over five decades, he has been creating works of art that use sculpture to engage with the contemporary world, his own life, and concepts of physicality and spirituality.

Ray’s works engage with art history, the genesis of art, and its installation in space. For Ray, if a sculpture is to be embedded in space, it must consist of space—a seemingly contradictory statement, given that his works can weigh anywhere from a few grams to nearly twenty metric tons.