Jeppe Hein, interactive water pavilion returns to Lenbachhaus Munich
Published on 08/26/2026 at 10:45 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Jeppe Hein stages one of this summer's most accessible public artworks in Munich. As Lenbachhaus states in its detailed exhibition information, the interactive fountain Space in Action / Action in Space operates on the museum forecourt as a reopened water pavilion in 2026.Lenbachhaus project page for Space in Action / Action in Space
The fountain on Lenbachhaus forecourt
Lenbachhaus describes Space in Action / Action in Space as an interactive water pavilion that creates shifting walls of water, forming temporary spatial boundaries visitors can walk through. The work stands on the museum's forecourt in Munich and operates from Tuesday to Sunday between 11:00 AM and 10:00 PM during the 2026 summer season.
The museum notes that the piece was originally acquired in 2002 with support from the Jubiläums-Stiftung der Deutsche Bank AG Filiale München, in favor of Lenbachhaus. Its renewed activation in 2026 is framed as part of the summer program initiative Buntes Garten Ciao, aimed at improving the forecourt as a place to spend time.
Museum summer program and public art
In the current program overview, Lenbachhaus positions Hein's fountain alongside other summer offerings, including the Buntes Garten Ciao activities that run until August 30, 2026, to activate the outdoor space for visitors. The pavilion is free to access in the public area, emphasizing open-air engagement rather than ticketed indoor exhibition formats.
Silke Hohmann, writing for Monopol and quoted by Lenbachhaus, characterizes Hein's pavilion as a 'technically consummate, smart, witty, megalomaniacal work', underscoring both the engineering precision and humorous spatial ambition of the project. Against this backdrop, the water pavilion functions as a museum collection piece that temporarily becomes a social meeting point.
All news and background on Jeppe Hein
For further coverage of Jeppe Hein's installations, museum projects and public commissions, the AD HOC NEWS archive offers additional reports and background analyses.
How the artist works with participation
Hein's official news page lists several current projects that rely on direct visitor participation, including YOU ARE NEVER REALLY ALLONE at König Galerie in Berlin and Space in Action / Action in Space at Lenbachhaus. These works use water, mirrors and architectural structures to make viewers co-authors of the spatial experience.
On his studio site, Hein also highlights the long-running participatory initiative Breathe With Me, where visitors translate their breath into sequences of blue painted lines, as well as variations of Modified Social Benches that reshape expectations of public seating. The water pavilion in Munich belongs to the same practice of inviting playful, bodily engagement in public space.
Where the artist stands now
Within the current 30-day window, Hein's water pavilion Space in Action / Action in Space remains active on the forecourt of Lenbachhaus in Munich as part of the museum's 2026 summer program.
Key facts on Jeppe Hein
- Artist: Jeppe Hein
- Medium / Genre: Installation and interactive sculpture
- Born: 1977, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Place(s) of practice: Studio in Berlin and Copenhagen
- Active since: Late 1990s, with early institutional exhibitions in the 2000s
- Key work groups: Space in Action / Action in Space, Modified Social Benches, Breathe With Me, Appearing Rooms
- Current/last exhibition: Space in Action / Action in Space, Lenbachhaus, Munich, 2026 summer activation on the museum forecourt
- Major collections: Lenbachhaus (Munich), Houghton Hall Sculpture Park (Norfolk), Art Gallery of South Australia (Adelaide)
- Awards: Kunstpreis der Stadt Wolfsburg (2004, among other recognitions)
- Next date: Water pavilion Space in Action / Action in Space running on the Lenbachhaus forecourt during summer 2026 within the current viewing window
Frequently asked questions about Jeppe Hein
Where can I experience Jeppe Hein's work right now?
In summer 2026, visitors in Munich can experience Hein's interactive fountain Space in Action / Action in Space on the forecourt of Lenbachhaus, operating Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
What characterizes Jeppe Hein's installation at Lenbachhaus?
The pavilion at Lenbachhaus consists of programmable water walls that appear and disappear, forming temporary rooms visitors can enter. The museum and Monopol highlight its combination of technical precision, humor and spatial ambition.
Which other current projects does Jeppe Hein present?
Hein's studio news lists the solo project YOU ARE NEVER REALLY ALLONE at König Galerie in Berlin and the presentation Modified Social Sculptures at the Art Gallery of South Australia in Adelaide, among other installations and participatory works.
This article was produced with a.i. support and editorially reviewed. All statements without guarantee; auction results, exhibition dates and awards may change at short notice.
