Guernica in Sand is a large-scale installation by Lee Mingwei, inspired by Guernica (1937), a monumental oil painting by Pablo Picasso. Over a period of three weeks, Lee Mingwei will recreate the painting in sand at the de Young as part of the exhibition Lee Mingwei: Rituals of Care.

In a one-time performance at noon on March 23, 2024, Lee Mingwei will complete an unfinished section of the sand painting. Visitors in possession of a free ticket will then be invited to walk, one at a time, on the sand. During this performance, the actions of both the artist and the audience will become part of a simultaneous process of creation and destruction. After the last visitor has walked on the sand, Lee Mingwei and three performers will sweep the painting and leave it in this condition until the work is removed on March 31, 2024.

Ticket info

No paid admission ticket needed to view this event. Free tickets to participate in the performance, by walking over the sand painting one time, are available the day of the performance, first come, first served. Tickets will be distributed outside Koret Auditorium. Participants will be asked to remove their shoes before walking on the sand. Children are welcome to participate but must be accompanied by an adult.