Ghislaine Leung: Holdings (2015-2025)

A decade of Ghislaine Leung’s inventive “scores” and practices, revealing the fluid, rigorous, and evolving vision of a leading contemporary artist. Ghislaine Leung is an artist whose practice unfolds through concise “scores”—written instructions that indicate how a work is to be realized, interpreted, and performed by institutions, collaborators, or participants. These scores investigate value, labor, and the systems that shape art’s production and presentation, among other things, while leaving room for flexibility and variation in their execution. Her 2024 solo exhibition Holdings at the Renaissance Society provided the occasion for the present publication, which extends and deepens the insights of the show into a decade-long portrait of her work. Spanning ten years of Leung’s practice, the book offers a richer and more expansive perspective than has previously been available. Rather than presenting a definitive interpretation or career survey, it extends an open-handed invitation into a world defined by fluidity and openness. At its heart lies a comprehensive “inventory,” comprising two complementary lists that Leung has never published before: a complete record of her works since 2015, and a set of personal “sub-scores”—self-instructions or protocols that relate to how she works, how she participates, and how her life beyond art intersects with her creative practice. The publication is further enriched by essays and conversations from a range of writers, curators, and collaborators, offering diverse perspectives on Leung’s scores, sub-scores, and evolving practice. Together, these contributions illuminate the themes, processes, and relationships that have shaped her work, creating a comprehensive yet open-ended introduction to one of contemporary art’s most inventive and distinctive voices.