Difficult Knowledge (2024) marks Baker’s first solo presentation in China, featuring the global premieres of three large-scale immersive installations showcased across the museum’s expansive 750m² Contemporary Exhibition Hall. Through these works, Baker explores the emotional conflicts and latent strengths within individuals and collectives when confronting complex, uncontrollable realities, inviting visitors to reflect on forces beyond mere understanding. 

Baker’s installations blend video, sound, and glass, crossing traditional media boundaries to create an immersive environment that probes the core of “difficult knowledge.” The exhibition’s Chinese title “幽知” (Uneasy Knowledge) symbolizes hidden, hard-to-accept understandings, while “曲径” (Winding Way) guides visitors as they weave through the exhibition, experiencing the “winding path” as both a physical and conceptual journey into layered recognition. In this multi-sensory experience, the visitor is more than just an observer; they become a participant, immersed in Baker’s powerful reflections on the complexities of contemporary society.

Sound design and composition: Natasha Dubler

Find out more at Kate Baker’s website here