Jeppe Hein

Social Bench and Lamps outside on the middle terrace, facing the Grand Canal

Mirror speech Bubble “You Are Magic for Me” next to the concierge desk

Exhibition at the St. Regis Hotel Venice, till 30 November 2024

Jeppe Hein is a Danish artist based in Berlin and Copenhagen.

He is known for the creation of interactive artworks that blur the boundaries between art, architecture and human experience. His works, which are distinctive in their formal simplicity and noted for their frequent use of humour, engage in a lively dialogue with the tradition of 1970s Conceptual art and Minimalist sculpture.

One of the defining characteristics of Hein’s work is its interactive nature. He seeks to create art that encourages active participation and engages the viewer on both a physical and emotional level. Through his installations, he invites audiences to become active participants, blurring the traditional boundaries between artist and observer.

For the St. Regis Venice, Jeppe Hein has on display an outdoor installation “Social Bench and Lamps” on the middle terrace of the St. Regis Hotel in the patio facing the Grand Canal and an artwork “You are Magic for Me” at the entrance area next to the concierge desk.

“You are Magic for Me” is installed on the wall to welcome the guests. The sentence of the artwork emerges from the surface of the mirror in the shape of a speech bubble. An intriguing perspective on the depth and three dimensionality of the mirror installation is provided by the mix of the reflecting surface and the cut-out, angled letters. The appellative message, layered with reflections of the spectators and the surrounding area, appears to be addressed directly to the viewers, awakening them to the present moment.

“Social Bench and Lamps” is installed outside on the middle terrace of the St. Regis Hotel, visible from the Grand Canal and the patio. The social bench is one of the playful furniture the artist creates to criticise with humour the controlling and marginalised designs of human spaces. He uses unconventional shapes to reimagine the conventional way of seating; to smaller works that provoke contemplation and reflection.

Some of these benches have been permanently installed in places such as the Montenmedio Sculpture Park, in Cadiz, Spain, and in Helsinki, Finland. Hein collaborated with Dan Graham (American, b.1942) in 2008 to install a temporary pavilion in Cologne, Germany.

Price on request for artworks gw@editionartco.com

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