Liu Wei’s Met Facade Comission Reflects Our Moment
On view through next June, Liu's sculpture series “Speculation” (2026) contemplates the contradictory elements of collapse and civic transformation.
Beijing-based artist Liu Wei returns to New York with four brand-new works for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Genesis Facade Commission. The exhibition, on view through June 7, 2027, features Speculation (2026), which explores the duality of collapse and civic transformation through metal and fiberglass composite sculptures. Set on either side of The Met's main entrance, Liu's pieces incorporate abstracted archaeological and architectural references, with reflective surfaces and modernist spheres nestled within or balanced on biomorphic shapes.
The sculptures include enormous hands in distorted mudras, symbolizing humanity's role in shaping the imagined tangible. Liu's work often touches on the destabilizing nature of cultural transformation, referencing themes of corruption, consumerism, and authority. Visitors to the Met have noted the striking contrast between the industrial finishes of Liu's sculptures and the historic limestone façade, with some interpreting the ropes as signs of something being held together, symbolizing the ongoing process of industrialization.
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