Grandfather’s Incline

Artist Lee Mingwei, in collaboration with architect Stephan Freid, conceived Grandfather’s Incline as a proposal for a permanent public artwork on the grounds of Montalvo Arts Center. Known for participatory installations that explore trust, intimacy, and self-awareness, Lee envisioned the project as both a contemplative space and a tribute to his grandfather. 

The proposal emerged from Lee’s search for a site within Montalvo’s wooded landscape that recalled a mountain location in Taiwan where his grandfather would hike to meditate on the distant terrain. In response, Lee and Freid designed an elevated wooden platform extending beyond the hillside at a slight incline, hovering above Montalvo’s Garden Theatre and historic Villa. Planned to be situated between ancient oak and redwood trees along a popular trail, the structure would provide visitors with a place to pause, rest, and contemplate panoramic views of Silicon Valley. 

Abstracted to its essential forms, the design combines a narrow forty-foot viewing platform, descending seating area, and a single potted tree positioned at the far end of the structure. Supported by discreet wooden pilings intended to blend into the surrounding forest, the project reflects Lee’s interest in creating spaces for reflection and shared experience. A twelve-foot-long table originally accompanied the proposal, with a platform bearing a single miniature oak tree and fresh-baked goods. Later, the table made its way to the Montalvo’s Lucas Artists Program, where it remains in use today as a gathering place for artists in residence to share food and ideas. 

Though it was never realized, the model presented here imagines the transformative potential of site-specific public art within Montalvo’s woodlands. 

These works are on display in the Cottage Gallery, located near Parking Lot 2. The Cottage Gallery is open Thursday to Sunday from 11 am – 3 pm (or by appointment). If you would like to make an appointment, please email lap_programs@montalvoarts.org.