On view through November 1, 2025
As part of Berlin Art Week, States of Being, presented at Société’s Charlottenburg gallery, is a collaborative curatorial project between two leading contemporary art galleries, Société and Hauser & Wirth. The exhibition explores the multifaceted nature of human existence, featuring works by thirty artists, including Louise Bourgeois, Glenn Ligon, Pipilotti Rist, Cindy Sherman, Lee Bul, Berlinde De Bruyckere, Rashid Johnson, and Nairy Baghramian.
Navigating physical, emotional, ecological, and spiritual states of being, the exhibition brings together past and present artists on a shared ground. Pioneering works from the 1960s and 70s are displayed alongside contemporary pieces, echoing Maggie Nelson’s words: “There is no single way to live, only to exist—again and again, in different forms.”
Some works evoke transient, fluid states through abstraction and material transformation, while others focus on enduring notions of existence through heritage, ritual, or historical continuity. In doing so, the exhibition offers a broad map of “being” that extends beyond a human-centric perspective, encompassing organic, virtual, and even extraterrestrial forms of life.
States of Being particularly focuses on how fragility, desire, control, and power dynamics are represented. Through playful or at times menacing tones, it reveals the delicate layers of human experience in depictions of body and mind. Each work underscores that existence is not singular but plural, questioning “states of being” as a space where identity and sensation are constantly redefined.
This collaboration fosters a dialogue not only between two galleries but also across generations and forms—a vibrant, resonant, polyphonic symphony of existence.
