Hamburger Bahnhof

Shilpa Gupta

A large-scale sculpture comprising monumental, stone-coloured letters H, R, T and U in a spacious indoor hall. The oversized letters are arranged in such a way that visitors can walk through them. Tall windows can be seen in the background. A single person walks past the letters in the hall.

Shilpa Gupta, TRUTH, 2022 - 2025

© Shilpa Gupta, Galleria Continua / Ela Bialkowska, OKNOstudio 

Starting point of Shilpa Gupta’s solo exhibition at Hamburger Bahnhof is the monumental work TRUTH, situated at the intersection of language, power, and control. As visitors move through the oversized letters within the exhibition space, the artwork questions the mechanisms that preserve or obscure truth. The sculptural installation reveals how collective progress depends on protecting and interrogating truth. Complemented by additional works by the artist, Gupta’s exhibition at Hamburger Bahnhof is presented in dialogue with the museum’s display of works by Joseph Beuys. This parallel presentation highlights similarities in their approaches to language, participation, and social reflection. As part of the anniversary programme, the exhibition underscores artistic exchange as a central theme of Hamburger Bahnhof since the museum’s founding.

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