British artist Ryan Gander is preparing to unveil two major projects later this year, reflecting his ongoing exploration of art as a dynamic and surprising experience. His citywide public artwork “The Find” will launch in Seoul during the Frieze art fair in early September, followed by a solo exhibition at the Towner Gallery in Eastbourne beginning in November.
Gander, 50, known for his multidisciplinary approach spanning painting, sculpture, installation, typography, and documentary filmmaking, challenges traditional notions of art. Rejecting the idea that art should be confined to “flat stuff with four corners,” he embraces unpredictability and interaction. His work often redefines everyday objects and situations—such as a vending machine dispensing banknotes or a sculpture completed only when snow falls—offering viewers unexpected perspectives and playful puzzles.
“The Find,” now in its fourth iteration, consists of 16,000 specially minted coins hidden throughout galleries and neighborhoods across Seoul. Each coin features mantras centered on time, attention, and collectivity, intangible concepts Gander seeks to highlight through the familiarity and value people ascribe to money. The project operates as a treasure hunt open to the public, including many who do not typically engage with contemporary art. Gander aims to demystify artistic experiences, describing the initiative as a gateway that has the potential to change perceptions of art from “pretentious” to “fun.” Participants often collect the coins as souvenirs, document their finds on social media, or use them to make decisions—sometimes unaware they are interacting with an artwork.
Gander’s creative process is rooted in an extensive archive of approximately 22,000 idea cards, which he has compiled over nearly two decades. He draws inspiration from coincidences, collaborations, and unexpected circumstances, allowing projects to evolve beyond their initial concepts. “If an artwork only has one interpretation, it’s not art,” he says, emphasizing the importance of ambiguity and engagement between the piece and its audience.
Raised in a working-class family in Cheshire, Gander has been conscious of art’s inaccessibility to many and aims to bridge that divide. Alongside his artistic practice, he teaches at the Royal Academy of Arts and coordinated its recent Summer Exhibition. He aspires to create work that is both approachable to wider audiences and respected within established art circles, striking a balance between clarity and complexity.
Reflecting on the contemporary art scene, Gander critiques what he sees as a tendency toward over-cautiousness and a lack of ambition, attributing this partly to broader cultural desires for comfort amid global uncertainty. He recalls art school as a place to be challenged and unsettled—an ethos he wishes to see revived in today’s art world.
His upcoming solo show at Towner Eastbourne, titled “Maybe?,” will showcase a diverse array of works, including an animatronic mouse delivering a monologue voiced by his 12-year-old daughter, Penny, and a bronze sculpture of an upside-down 99 Flake ice cream cone. The exhibition also features pieces inspired by his seven-year-old autistic son, Baxter, incorporating personal elements such as toys arranged in patterns and paintings referencing educational language cards.
Despite physical challenges—Gander uses a wheelchair—he remains prolific and inventive, frequently generating new ideas even in conversation. Among his more ambitious proposals are a national holiday devoted to art and a compulsory year of art education for all citizens. With a creative archive that continues to grow, Gander shows no sign of slowing his pursuit of art that surprises, challenges, and expands the boundaries of human knowledge.
“The Find Seoul” will take place from September 2 to 5, coinciding with Frieze Seoul, while “Maybe?” runs at Towner Eastbourne from November 14 through April 11.