As part of the long-running series by Fondation Beyeler and UBS, the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo hosted an Artist Talk featuring renowned artist Philippe Parreno in conversation with Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of the Serpentine Galleries.

Together, they delve into the evolving nature of art, exhibition-making, and creative collaboration in a thought-provoking exchange.

The discussion journeys from the artist’s early experiences in Japan and the genesis of projects like Annlee – a manga character transformed into a collective artwork – to his recent curatorial work as Artistic Director of the 2025 Okayama Art Summit. Parreno shares insights into the inspiration behind city-wide exhibitions, the vast influence of literature on his work, and the idea of the city itself as an active participant in artistic experiments.

Themes of improvisation, the use of public and “leftover” spaces, and the formation of temporary creative guilds emerge, as Parreno reflects on the importance of process, chance, and “chains of signifiers” in art. The conversation also delves into the philosophical, touching on concepts from Simone Weil’s “Decreation” to the role of art as a living, ghostly presence that transcends objects and time.

Hear Parreno discuss his innovative use of technology and AI, the interplay between abstraction and figuration, and his recent transition into filmmaking, offering a rare glimpse into his creative process and unrealized projects – including a new film featuring Jennifer Lawrence, which can be watched here.

The talk is both a celebration of artistic collaboration and a meditation on the open-ended, ever-evolving nature of contemporary art.