Burlington Contemporary

'This approach – of simultaneously addressing the fraught sociopolitical history of a nation marked by Cold War division and its parallel developments in art and culture – runs throughout the German Pavilion. Curated by Kathleen Reinhardt, "Ruin" brings together works by Sung Tieu and Henrike Naumann that relate personal histories to broader developments in twentieth-century Germany. The two-person exhibition offers a poignant response to the theme of Koyo Kouoh’s Biennale, In Minor Keys, which the late curator described as "the tunes of the fugitives recovering from the ruins, the harmonies of those repairing wounds and worlds". According to Reinhardt, "with their layered formal, political, social, and historical implications", Tieu’s and Naumann’s work contribute to Kouoh’s theme by "consistently stimulating polyphonically-conceived pasts, presents, and futures". Their installations also bring to the fore disciplines and materials rarely seen at the Biennale. By shifting the scale and proportion of often-overlooked objects, the exhibition draws attention to marginalised narratives that have played out in the background and continue to shape contemporary society'.⁠
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Our Editorial Assistant, Yi Ting Lee @ytlee6012, reviews the German Pavilion, 'Ruin' @deutscherpavillon @labiennale, with works by @sungtieu and @henrikenaumann. Link in bio to read.⁠
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Images: Detail of 'War' from 'Die Innere Front' ('The Home Front'), by Henrike Naumann. 2026. Mixed-media installation. (Courtesy the artist; photograph Jens Ziehe).⁠
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Detail of 'They Have Eyes, But They See Not, They Have Ears, But They Hear Not', by Sung Tieu and Vũ Thị Hạnh. 2026. Aluminium foil, aluminium, wood, magnets and lacquer, dimensions variable. (Courtesy the artist; photograph Andrea Rossetti).