The exhibition takes Birmingham as its starting point, a city renowned for its brutalist architecture. It considers how these artists unpack the troubled histories and legacies of modernist buildings through the lens of horror by linking its tropes (suspense, darkness, fear) with qualities of modernist design.

At Wat Prayoon, Yee I-Lann achieves another blend with Southeast Asian vernacular culture. Based in the Malaysian Borneo state of Sabah, the artist has produced two works in collaboration with Sabah's communities: a mixed-media installation comprising handwoven mats, hello from the outside (2019), and a single-channel video, Pangkis (2021).

Face-à-Face (Face to Face) proposes a new dialogue between two museum collections. It establishes connections between works by major figures of the modern avant-garde in Germany and France and those of contemporary artists from around the world. Questions of metamorphosis, the transformation of matter, optical phenomena and the perception of space are present throughout this exhibition in the East Gallery.