Justin Lieberman x Manifesta 16 Ruhr

Justin Lieberman x Manifesta 16 Ruhr

During a residency at the Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory, Justin Lieberman (*1977, Florida) developed the ceramic series An Engine (2026), now on view at Manifesta 16 Ruhr. Held every two years in a different host city, the European Nomadic Biennial of Contemporary Art addresses the social, political, and ecological questions of our time.

At the heart of An Engine are ceramic turtle shells. Rather than faithful reproductions of their natural counterparts, they are sculptural forms that evoke questions of protection, vulnerability, and transformation. Clay and glaze lend them an archaic presence, making them appear as vessels of time and experience. Oscillating between sculpture and metaphor, the works offer a poetic reflection on the tension between visibility and retreat.

Lieberman's multidisciplinary practice encompasses painting, collage, assemblage, and ceramics. By appropriating and transforming imagery drawn from the media, advertising, and popular culture, he examines the mechanisms of visual culture while combining artisanal precision with humour, ambiguity, and critical reflection. He lives and works in Munich.


  • Der Künstler Justin Lieberman kniet vor einem Arbeitstisch in seinem Atelier und bearbeitet ein Tonmodell für ein Kunstwerk der Manifesta 16 Ruhr. Skizzen und Referenzbilder hängen an der Wand hinter dem Modell. Artist Justin Lieberman kneels at a workbench in his studio while working on a clay model for an artwork created for Manifesta 16 Ruhr. Sketches and reference images are displayed on the wall behind the model.
  • Detailaufnahme der Hände des Künstlers Justin Lieberman, die mit einem Modellierwerkzeug an einem Tonmodell für ein Kunstwerk der Manifesta 16 Ruhr arbeiten. Die strukturierte Oberfläche des Modells zeigt zahlreiche kleine Vertiefungen. Close-up of artist Justin Lieberman's hands using a sculpting tool to refine a clay model for an artwork created for Manifesta 16 Ruhr. The model features a textured surface with numerous small indentations.