At M+’s latest major exhibition, the unspoken rule of “do not touch” is replaced by a radical invitation: step in, engage, and transform the art yourself. The result is an experience that resonates differently across generations, revealing that the deepest understanding of art may come not from quiet contemplation, but from the simple joy of play.
M+ has unveiled “Dream Rooms: Environments by Women Artists 1950s–Now,” a landmark exhibition running from September to January 18, at West Gallery, Kowloon. It transports audiences into a dozen immersive, multi-sensory worlds crafted by trailblazing women artists from Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Spanning over seven decades, the exhibition rewrites a chapter of art history that has, for too long, focused primarily on male artists.
These “environments,” as they are known, are artworks that viewers complete with their presence. They are precursors to the immersive digital experiences popular today, blending art, architecture, and design. The exhibition, originally conceived by Haus der Kunst München, features nine meticulous reconstructions of historical works that were often ephemeral and destroyed after their initial showing.
Visitors can feel the force of a 40-knot gale inside a black box in Laura Grisi’s Vento di Sud-Est (1968), wade through a sea of 135kg of cruelty-free feathers in Judy Chicago’s ethereal Feather Room (1966), or journey through a neon-lit passage in Aleksandra Kasuba’s Spectral Passage (1975), set to Gustav Holst’s The Planets.
However, the true power of “Dream Rooms” may lie not just in its historical significance, but in its ability to dissolve the invisible barrier between the art and the audience. This is an effect most keenly observed in the exhibition’s youngest visitors.
“Having these installations where it allows the visitors to walk in takes it to a completely different level,” says Lam Wai Fong, a helper at the exhibition. “It brings me joy to see everyone, especially the kids having so much fun.”
Lam notes a fascinating dynamic, “Kids can be observed to be more initiative and active when exploring around, while adults prefer to step aside and simply watch the art piece from a standpoint.”
This uninhibited exploration is exactly what many parents hope to foster. Catherine, a mother visiting with her two children, actively encourages them to engage with the works. “I don’t think the kids would understand the meaning behind these installations, but I try to guide them to explore as much as they can,” she explains. “I wish my kids can stay curious about the world. These are the experiences that books can’t give.”
This sentiment is brought to life in the Asian premiere’s new commissions. Thai artist Pinaree Sanpitak’s The House is Crumbling features thousands of soft khid pillows, which visitors are encouraged to move, stack, and reconfigure. The landscape is in constant flux, shaped by the collective actions.
For M+ docent Doris, this piece is a profound highlight. “The House is Crumbling has to be my favorite,” she shares. “Whether to build a wall or a bridge, the simple gesture from every single one of us makes all the difference.” Here, the line between play and profound statement blurs, a child building a fort and an adult contemplating connection are engaged in the same creative act.
The exhibition’s Asian additions also include Chiharu Shiota’s iconic red threads in Infinite Memory, which cascade through the Focus Gallery, enveloping three towering dresses that evoke memory and the female form. Spanning the entire museum, Kimsooja’s To Breathe wraps windows and skylights in a diffraction film, bathing the architecture in an ever-shifting light.
“Dream Rooms” succeeds by validating every form of interaction. It is an invitation, as Russell Storer, Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs at M+, puts it, “to encounter art as a fully embodied experience, moving beyond visual perception to activate sensory, spatial and emotional awareness.”
By watching children dive headfirst into a room of feathers or collaborate to build a pillow bridge, adult visitors are reminded that art is not just something to be understood, but something that can be felt. In these dream rooms, curiosity is the only prerequisite, and the experience itself is the masterpiece.